


Royals' Curse

by Gaygent37



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Alpha Jason Todd, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Anal Sex, Betrayal, Deception, Dirty Talk, Dubious Consent, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Porn, Kidnapping, Knotting, M/M, Manipulation, Mating Bites, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Dick Grayson, Omega Verse, prisoner
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:02:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21984112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gaygent37/pseuds/Gaygent37
Summary: Ever since the Red Hood, king of the Crimson Kingdom, was consumed by the Royal's Curse, omega royalty in all eight kingdoms went into hiding.All except King Richard Grayson, who may be a little bit too confident in his palace security. And despite the urging of his advisers, Dick stubbornly remained in his palace during his heat. He might as well have been inviting trouble in with open arms.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Jason Todd
Comments: 92
Kudos: 545





	1. Alpha Consort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning (spoilers) for this chapter in end notes.

“Your Majesty!”

Dick reluctantly lifted his head with a small groan. He had been sitting very comfortably on his throne, his legs tossed over one arm rest and his neck cradled by the other. He had attendants fanning him on both sides and a particularly pretty one feeding him grapes whenever he opened his mouth.

“What is it?” Dick asked, licking away the sweet grape juice on the corner of his lips. “Oh, Tim. Hi. You needed something?”

Tim huffed when he saw the way Dick was sitting on his throne. He clutched the paper in his hands a bit tighter and stalked up to the throne. “This is your consort for next week,” he said, handing the rolled piece of paper to Dick. “Hope he’s to your liking.”

“Ooooh, who’d you pick for me this time, Timbo?” Dick asked with a smirk. He gracefully kicked his legs off of the arm rest and sat up, shaking the paper open, ripping the top of it a bit. “ _Oh_ , he’s handsome!” Dick said. “Where’d you find this one, hm?”

“Please act more like a proper royal, Your Majesty,” his head advisor and best friend said through gritted teeth. “And he’s one of the newly recruited guards.”

Dick scanned through the profile of the alpha that would be helping him through his heat next week. “A bit on the short side,” he murmured. “But he _does_ have red hair, which I approve of. It’s not very long though, hmm.” After another second’s consideration, he smiled up at Tim. “Do I get to meet him before?”

Tim sighed. “You always ask this question. And the answer is always _no_.”

“Well, I approve of him,” Dick said with a shrug. He held the now slightly crumpled paper back to Tim. He gave Tim a thoughtful smile. “Maybe I’ll go see if I can see him when the guards have their sword fighting lessons later today.”

Tim’s lips pressed together tighter, knowing that Dick did not even read through the entire profile. But then again, he expected it of the omega king of the Azure Kingdom. He also knew that Dick may not be joking when he said he would search out his heat partner.

Dick was born into the pampered life, and as he grew older, people only spoiled him more. Omegas were extremely rare, only one in every hundred some people are omegas, and omega royals are even rarer. And not only is Dick an omega, but he is one of four omegas in the history of all kingdoms to be crowned the sole king or queen of their kingdom, as well as being the youngest to ever do so.

Dick Grayson grew up sheltered, in peacetime, and he was fiercely loved by all. He never experienced hardships more than a skinned knee or being kindly denied a fourth slice of pie for dessert. Dick did not end up spoiled, thankfully, and he was adored by his people.

“Very well,” Tim said. “I’ll make sure he knows to head to your room when your heat hits.” He adjusted his glasses. “Also, sentries along the eastern border saw some of Hood’s riders early this morning.”

Dick paused his chewing. His eyebrows rose minutely. “Really,” he said, resuming his chewing but slowly. “Any signs of suspicious activity?”

Tim shook his head. “No more than usual,” Tim sighed. “They claim that the soldiers seemed to be coming back from a battle of some sort. Their horses were covered in blood, and there was a severed head impaled on the flagpole following the riders.”

“Do you think they attacked the Amber Kingdom?” Dick asked, his voice slightly alarmed. “Hood has been after that mountain territory in their kingdom, hasn’t he?”

“Yes,” Tim said. “But we have reason to believe that the attack was actually on one of the villages in Hood’s own kingdom.”

Dick pressed his lips together. “Make sure the guards are aware of this and have them keep a close eye on our eastern border. If Hood invades us, I don’t want to be caught unawares.”

“We have no troubles holding up against Hood for a bit,” Tim said. “We rival them in both military, resources, and land mass. The only difference is that our king isn’t consumed by the Royal’s Curse.”

Dick gave him a humorless grin that quickly disappeared. He sighed and sat up straighter. “Keep me notified, Tim. It’s been a while since Hood has pulled anything against us anyway. I think we should expect something to be coming soon.”

Tim nodded gravely. “Leave it to me, Your Majesty. You can worry about it after you get through your heat.” Tim paused for a second. “Do you think you will consider going into hiding for your heat this time?”

Dick laughed loudly this time. “I’m no coward, Timbo,” he said. “Just because all the other omega royals of the land have all gone into hiding in fear of the Royal’s Curse that took over Hood doesn’t mean I’m going to leave my kingdom to fend for itself while I fret over my well-being. Besides, like you said, we can easily hold off Hood’s army for a while if they do decide to invade us.”

Tim pursed his lips again, but he nodded. “I’ll make note of that, Your Majesty.” He gave Dick a short bow, to which Dick quickly waved off seeing that Tim was his best friend, and Tim turned to go.

“Thanks, Tim!” Dick called, leaning back and opening his mouth for more grapes. “You’re the best!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Tim said with a fond smile. He adjusted his glasses again. “Don’t forget to come to dinner today, Your Majesty. The cook is worried you’re not eating enough.”

Dick grinned. “Tell Alfie he’s going to make me fat at this rate!”

Tim nodded, excusing himself out of the throne room.

* * *

Dick walked past the courtyard, slowing a bit when he watched the new guards march past to the commands of their lieutenant. Their shiny blue uniforms made them stand out in the afternoon sunlight. His eyes scanned the helmet-less heads of the guards. He noticed the vaguely familiar face he saw on paper a couple days ago – the redhead that was meant to be his consort to help him through his head.

Dick stopped walking, standing in the shadows while he watched the guards all line up with their backs ramrod straight.

He looked his to-be consort up and down. He was a couple inches shorter than the fellow guards on either side of him, but he seemed to have twice the determination to impress their lieutenant.

Just then, the guard’s eyes shifted and widened dramatically when he noticed Dick watching. His shoulders tensed, and he stood up impossibly straighter, his face flushing.

Dick laughed softly to himself, shaking his head. He wondered if he should go introduce himself. Tim would certainly disprove of it, but Dick never understood why getting to know his consorts was such a bad thing.

Making up his mind to have a bit of fun, Dick stepped forward into the sunlight.

The lieutenant spotted him quickly. “Your Majesty!” he said, his large mustache twitching as he bowed to Dick quickly. The guards all bent at the waist.

Dick waved his hand, excusing them all with a smile. “Sorry to interrupt your afternoon practice,” he said. “But I was wondering if I may borrow…” He gestured vaguely to the redhead guard, who blushed brighter.

“Addington!” the lieutenant snapped.

“Yes, sir!” the redhead guard, Addington, said.

“You’re relieved of practice this afternoon,” the lieutenant grunted. “You’ll be accompanying His Royal Majesty instead.” Then, the lieutenant paused, eyes narrowing. “Ah… may I ask what for, Your Majesty?”

Dick just smiled at him. “Oh, I’m just getting to know him!”

“But Your Majesty, isn’t that-”

Dick winked and put a finger to his lips. “You aren’t going to tell, are you, Lieutenant?”

The man blinked rapidly and cleared his throat. “Of course not, Your Majesty.” He turned back around to face the guards. “Well, Addington? Get going!”

Dick turned to walk away, the young redhead following behind him quickly.

“So, what’s your name?” Dick asked once they were out of earshot out of Addington’s curious peers.

“Uh- uh, Clarence, sir! I- I mean, Your Majesty!” the poor thing swallowed quickly. “My name is Clarence Addington, Your Majesty.”

Dick hummed, casting the alpha a glance. He was only a touch taller than Dick, and he had slight heels on his boots. Dick preferred his alphas nice and tall, but he supposed that it would not matter when they were lying down anyway.

“Well, Clarence,” Dick said. “Would you like to join me for tea? Alfred makes a _very_ nice selection of sandwiches…”

“I’d- I’d love to, Your Majesty!” Clarence said quickly. He ran a hand through his hair nervously.

Dick led them to the rose gardens, sitting down in his seat and gesturing for another seat to be brought for his soon-to-be bed partner.

Clarence sat down and shoved his hands in his lap to keep from fidgeting. Dick almost wanted to comfort him, though he was not entirely sure what to say. Dick started to wonder why Clarence was chosen to be his alpha consort. He did not seem to be the textbook definition of an alpha in personality. Physique wise, he was more or less there.

Tea was a quiet affair with Clarence only nibbling on his sandwiches and taking small sips of his tea. Dick spent most of the time watching butterflies flit around the roses. He was now starting to understand why Tim did not want him meeting all his consorts.

Clarence was nice, but he was, in the nicest way possible, a bore. Thankfully there would be no talking required during his heat. Dick would probably be too out of it to properly hold a conversation anyway.

He glanced at Clarence again, and the alpha nearly choked on his sandwich. Dick gave him a sympathetic smile.

* * *

Dick was lying in his room, on the verge of tears. His heat was tearing him up on the inside, making him hot and uncomfortable, and everything felt _wrong_. He needed an alpha, and he needed one _soon_.

A needy growl left his throat. Dick turned over on the bed again, glaring at the little slit of light coming from under his door. He had sent his maids to fetch Clarence over half an hour ago, so _why was it taking so long?!_

His heat hit him by surprise a couple of hours earlier, causing Dick to stumble up to his room in the middle of dessert that night. His maids barely drew his curtains and pitched the room into darkness in preparation for his alpha consort’s arrival. There was a pitcher of ice cold water by the bed, and Dick already drank a couple of cups, but it did nothing to quell the heat raging inside of him.

Finally, there was a gentle knock on the door, and it cracked open.

Dick whined in his throat, turning his head to see the silhouette of the man who entered the room. Immediately, Dick’s heightened senses smelled _alpha_.

He rolled over onto his back and spread his legs. “Alpha,” he croaked. His consort did not make a move towards him, so louder, Dick said, “Clarence, _please_.”

Clarence glided towards the bed slowly, not in a hurry and not saying a single word, not even addressing Dick like he were supposed to address their king. However, Dick was too desperate to say anything. Clarence was probably just nervous anyway.

The edge of the bed dipped, and Dick could feel the heat of Clarence’s body hovering over his. He reached up, wanting to touch the alpha’s skin, but instead, his hands clenched into the thick, rich cloth of a cloak.

Dick growled, baring his teeth. “You’re- You’re not supposed to be- to be dressed,” he managed. “Get it off!”

Clarence chuckled rather darkly, in a voice that sounded much deeper than that of the jittery young man Dick talked to a few days ago. But Clarence removed the cloak without a word. Dick reached back up and his hands touched bare skin, cool to the touch of his burning skin. Dick let out a sigh of relief, wanting to pull him down and feel more of him against Dick’s heated skin.

But Clarence resisted, staying where he was, on his hands and knees over Dick. Dick felt one of his hands touch his cheek, and Dick immediately leaned into the touch, nuzzling the gentle touch.

“Please,” Dick whispered. “I need- I need you, Clarence.”

Clarence did not respond. If Dick had not been so consumed by discomfort, he would have definitely been suspicious and a bit offended at the outright rudeness of the young man, who was supposed to be part of his royal guard.

The hand left Dick’s cheek, moving down his bare chest, brushing across Dick’s leaking cock, and touched the slick and dripping hole. Without warning, two thick fingers sank deep into Dick.

Dick moaned at the feeling of being filled, momentarily relieving the burn, but then, the need came back twice as strong because it was not an alpha knot.

“Fuck me,” he panted. “Just- Just _fuck me_.”

Clarence ignored him and continued pumping a couple of fingers in and out of Dick’s hole. Then, he slipped his fingers out, wiping the slick fingers on Dick’s stomach. Never had Dick been treated in such a degrading manner, especially not in bed. But for some reason, it made him shiver with lust.

He gasped when he felt the blunt head of a thick cock against his greedy hole. He wiggled his hips against it, sliding the head of Clarence’s cock against his hole. Hands gripped Dick’s hips, much harder than any of the alpha consorts Dick had ever slept with through his heat. And it may have been Dick’s imagination, but the hands felt rougher and larger than those that Clarence used to lift the tiny teacup and pick at the sandwiches. But Dick did not have time to think about it. Clarence pulled Dick down onto his cock like he was a doll for fucking, lifting his hips off the bed completely.

Dick cried out as he was roughly impaled onto the cock. Clarence gave no sign of caring for his well-being, which struck Dick as quite odd, _almost_ alarming enough to shake him out of his lust-filled mindset.

And in retrospect, maybe things would have turned out the way they did if he had snapped out of it then. But he did not.

Clarence started pounding him at a bruising pace, his hips slamming into Dick’s, making him cry out with each thrust.

Despite the initial pain, the feeling of an alpha’s thick cock splitting him apart was so fulfilling that Dick just ended up moaning and pushing back without abandon. Clarence caught onto the change in Dick’s gasps and lifted Dick by his hips to thrust into him even deeper.

“Oh, _fuck_!” Dick screamed as Clarence’s cock touched places inside of him that has never been touched by fingers, cocks, or toys. “Yes, yes, yes!” Dick chanted.

The alpha grunted, unceremoniously pushing Dick’s legs up towards his shoulders, shocking Dick. No alpha in their right mind would _dare_ treat Dick in such a manner. While the royalty half of him was horrified, every other part of Dick loved it.

He was starting to have a revised opinion of meek Clarence.

“Ahhh! Harder, please, _harder_ ,” Dick moaned helplessly, letting Clarence pound him into the bed like he was some cheap whore. He could feel Clarence’s knot starting to swell, and it only made Dick all the more eager. “Fucking _breed me!_ ” he screamed, clamping down on his cock.

Those must have been the magic words because Clarence’s grip tightened and his cock throbbed inside of Dick, but his rhythm never stuttered. Clarence fucked Dick even harder, somehow going even deeper inside of him.

Dick let out another ragged scream, loving every second of the animalistic breeding he was receiving. His tear-stained eyelids fluttered open, trying to grasp some semblance of Clarence’s outline hovering above him in bed.

He saw Clarence lean down towards him, his hair falling into Dick’s face. Teeth grazed Dick’s neck, and upon instinct, he tilted his head to allow Clarence access to his bare, unmarked neck. Dick was not worried since all his consorts were given some medication that temporarily took away their ability to create a mating mark. Still, in the heat of the moment, some of them did like pressing their teeth against Dick’s neck in some semblance of marking him.

And Dick honestly loved it. He wanted to be marked by an alpha, have someone claim him as his own. And Dick would not have minded too much if Clarence _did_ mark him since he knew how to work Dick’s body so fucking well.

As Dick’s orgasm built and built and built, his nails dug into the alpha’s muscular back, and the teeth pressed in tighter.

Suddenly, the teeth pierced Dick’s neck, and immediately, Dick felt the mark take. He screamed at the top of his lungs as his suddenly amplified orgasm ripped through him. Never in Dick’s life had he had a more intense orgasm as pure, perfect pleasure coursed through him, overloading every other sense. For an entire minute afterwards, Dick trembled and shook with aftershocks before he came back to the present, more than aware of the light throbbing in his neck and the thick knot his hole was still clinging to.

Something was so very _wrong_ , even though it felt so very right.

“No…” Dick whimpered weakly, his voice barely working. Yet, his heat-addled mind chanted _yes, yes, yes!_ Dick tried pushing at the heavy shoulders of the alpha that had just marked him, tying them together for time’s being. Clarence’s shoulders were definitely not this broad. “H-How?” he managed to gasp out.

The impostor licked over the healed mark, his tongue sending sparks of pleasure through Dick as it ran over the new mark.

“Omega,” the alpha said, speaking for the first time since entering the room. “Mine.”

Dick shivered, almost starting to smile in hazy pleasure of the warm feelings that flooded through him at those words, but then his logical mind screamed at him to get a grip. “I- You can’t!” he said, panicking a little.

The alpha laughed, kissing Dick’s jaw. “I just did,” he growled. “Now sleep.”

Dick let out a small mew, relaxing under _his_ alpha’s voice. His consciousness was starting to fade. The orgasm had taken a lot out of him, and his alpha’s stern command sounded very tempting as well. “Who… Who are you?” he managed to ask right before he passed out.

The alpha chuckled again, a bit louder this time. “Hm,” he said in cold amusement, even though the unconscious omega could not hear him. “You know me as the Red Hood.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: dubcon, in which Dick is fucked by an alpha while under the impression that it's someone else
> 
> Here's the fic I promised. Let's hope I can finish this one seeing that I don't feel all that motivated at all.
> 
> Also, poor Clarence. I don't know him very well (Dick's an unreliable narrator), but he probably deserves better than to be thrown under the bus like this. I'll make it up to him. Somehow.


	2. A Dish Served Cold

When Dick cracked his eyes open, he felt absolutely terrible.

His back hurt, and he had a crick in his neck. He had an excruciating headache as well. On top of that, he felt both parched and hungry.

He sat up from where he was lying, looking around. Dick found himself in a sparsely furnished cell: three stone walls, a wall of metal bars facing an empty hallway, and a tiny window with a bit of bleak light shining through. There was a slab of wood stuck into one wall that served as a table, and there were two wooden stools to go along with it.

The “bed” Dick woke up on was a stone bench with a thin blanket thrown over it. The pillow he was given was an old barley sack stuffed with older rags.

“…What?” Dick muttered to himself as he looked around, clutching his pounding head. He felt like he had been dunked in a bath of ice water, having been chilled to the bones. He had no idea where he was, and even less of an idea how he got there.

“Hey!” he yelled, his voice a bit hoarse. Dick stumbled up to the bars, trying to look around. The dungeon was completely void of anyone else, prisoners and guards alike. “Is anyone there?!”

There was no answer, aside for the scurrying of some rats deeper in the dungeons. With a weak groan, Dick walked back to the stone bench and sat down heavily. He pulled the worn blanket around him, trying to warm up the chill he felt.

The last thing he could recall was his bedroom door opening, and Clarence walked in at the start of his heat. Dick’s eyebrows furrowed as he started piecing together some things. He wondered how many days had been passed, since he felt absolutely no trace of his heat anymore. In fact, quite the opposite, he felt uncommonly cold.

Dick stood up again, pacing in circles as he tried to make sense of his situation. Just then, there was a loud creaking noise at the end of the hallway, making Dick freeze and look up.

Two people entered, both lightly armored and carrying weapons. The bottom halves of their faces were covered with a red scarf.

Dick pressed up to the bars again. “Hey!” he yelled at them. “What the hell is going on here? Do you know who I am?”

They walked towards him, but they showed no sign of acknowledging him.

“I demand you tell me where I am!”

They stood in front of his cell, one on each side, like guards.

“Shit,” Dick said softly. “I’m being held like some _prisoner,_ aren’t I?” Dick growled, his lips pulling into an uncharacteristic sneer. “I said, _aren’t I?!”_

The guards continued ignoring him.

“Who the fuck do you serve?” Dick demanded. “Hey, I’m talking to you!” He reached through the cell towards one of the guards, and he grabbed the back of his tunic.

Immediately, the guard whirled around, grabbing Dick’s wrist, and had a blade tilting Dick’s head up.

Dick was hyper aware of the tip of the sword pressed against his throat, but still, he glared at the guard, silently daring him. The guard’s eyes seethed at him for another second longer before he let go of Dick’s wrist and retracted his sword. He turned back around, once again ignoring Dick.

Dick pulled his hand back, rubbing at his wrist. He had gotten the message loud and clear – he was a prisoner, and he was not leaving anytime soon.

Dick sat down on the stone bench again, the blanket still pulled around him. He stared hard at the guards’ backs, eyeing every detail of their drab uniforms. Everything they wore was some shade of brown aside for the shiny chainmail and the red scarf around their faces.

“You know,” Dick said coldly. “Whoever it is that you serve, you obviously don’t have much pride in yourselves. Unless you’re going for the shit-colored theme.”

The guards did not respond, but one of them tightened his shoulders, obviously bristling at Dick’s comment.

Dick smirked to himself. “And I hope your leader knows who I am because it won’t be long before someone comes for me. I’ll make sure to let them know exactly who to spare and who not to spare.”

One guard gave the other one a brief look, but ultimately, they still ignored Dick.

“Well,” Dick said, making a spectacle of stretching and lying down. “I’m going to take a nap now. Wake me up when you guys are getting invaded.”

Dick turned over on the stone bench, and despite his bold words, he wondered if he would actually be rescued. It was a long time before Dick fell into a fitful sleep.

~

_He was in an unfamiliar chamber, but he navigated it like he walked it every day of his life._

_A warm breeze came through the open balcony doors, and Dick slowly walked towards them, pulling his silk robe tighter around himself. Dick pushed past the billowing curtains and stepped barefoot onto the marble balcony._

_“What are you looking at?” he asked the man standing on the balcony. “It’s getting late, you know.”_

_The man had no shirt on, and Dick looked at the expanse of muscles all the way down his back. He turned when Dick spoke._

_“Oh, I thought you were asleep,” the man said. “Aren’t you tired?”_

_Dick yawned, stepping closer to the man and leaning up against his side. “Yeah, but it’s a strange bed.”_

_The man put a comforting arm around Dick, pulling him closer. He snorted. “What’s so strange about my bed? I don’t think it’s too different from yours.”_

_Dick rolled his eyes, laughing softly. “Well, for one, you’re not there.”_

_“I’ll be there soon. Wait for me.”_

_“Okay,” Dick said, smiling to himself while taking a deep breath of the alpha scent that made him feel_ safe _and_ comforted _. “Don’t be too long.”_

_The man pressed a kiss to the top of Dick’s head._

_As Dick pulled away and started back towards the room, he paused and looked back. The man was still standing there, looking out over the gardens again, his black hair billowing softly with the midnight wind. Dick gasped softly, stumbling when he took the next step, falling through the curtains._

Dick awoke with a jolt, sitting up and blinking away the last of the sleep.

That was a recurring dream he had had since he was a teenager. His mother had told him that it was because he subconsciously wanted nothing more than to find a mate and start a life with them.

But every time before, when Dick turned around at the end of the dream, the man would be gone, disappearing like he never stood on that balcony. But this time, he did not. Additionally, the alpha in his dream never had discernable features, but the black hair really shook Dick, probably more than a dream should.

Dick rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, groaning softly. His fingers pressed against an especially raw part of his skin. Dick could feel slight bumps along his neck that certainly was not there before.

Gently, Dick ran his fingers over the bumps, a frown growing over his features.

Suddenly, Dick screamed. He screamed and screamed and screamed at the top of his lungs.

Almost immediately, there was cursing and a clamor of noise as two guards burst into the hallway and came tearing down towards Dick’s cell. Dick met them at the bars.

“What the fuck is going on here?” one of the guards barked, his eyes darting around, looking for anything amiss.

Dick gave him a sweet smile. “Hi,” he said. “I need some help. See, I haven’t been out of here since I got here, and uh, I kinda need to go.”

The other guard grunted. “You’re not going anywhere, pretty boy, so get comfortable.”

“No, I need to _go_. Like, to the bathroom,” Dick clarified.

The first guard blinked at him. It was the same one that had a knife pointed at Dick’s throat a few hours earlier. “Oh,” he said gruffly. He glanced at his partner. “Did His Majesty say he could…?”

“His Majesty?” Dick echoed. “Who’s His Majesty? Is that code or is he an actual king?”

The guards ignored him, still muttering to each other. “He didn’t say,” the second guard said back. “But he also said we can’t treat him like the other prisoners.”

“Other prisoners?” Dick asked, eyebrows rising. “What other prisoners? Hello?”

“I suppose he can use the servants’ bathroom,” the first guard grunted.

“Then we’ll have to take him out of the cell!”

“Well he ain’t got a bucket, does he?” the first guard asked, gesturing to Dick’s cell. “So we ain’t got a choice!”

The guards stared at Dick for another second. Dick gave them the most disarming smile he could manage. The second guard fished a loop of keys out of his pocket and started unlocking Dick’s cell. The door creaked open, and Dick stepped out.

The guards grabbed his arms almost instantly.

“I’m not going to run, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Dick sighed. “Well? The bathroom?”

The guards marched him down the hallway and through the doors of the dungeon. Dick carefully took note of the path they took. They used a servants’ corridor, and finally they reached the bathroom.

The guards opened it and pushed Dick inside.

“One minute,” the first guard snapped.

Dick barely managed a huff before the door slammed. Immediately, Dick found the mirror. It was grimy, but it would work.

Dick pulled down the collar of his shirt and craned his neck. A set of healing teeth marks were visible on his neck. Dick took a deep breath and let it out very slowly.

“Fuck,” he whispered to himself.

He closed his eyes and opened them again, checking to see if the mating bite was still there. It was.

Almost mechanically, Dick used the restroom and washed his hands. He reached for the bar of soap and lathered his hands. As he was about to put the soap back in its dish, he paused. Dick stared at the familial crest on the soap dish. He slowly put the soap back, rinsed his hands off and opened the door.

Dick was led back to his cell, and he sat down on his stone bench, staring unseeingly into the hallway.

King Richard was not known to be a serious ruler. He believed a little fun and flirting always made things easier, so it was certainly a curious thing for him to be feeling this inexplicable thirst for revenge, served ruthless and mercilessly.

Dick touched the healing mating mark and smiled coldly to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dick ended up being a little more two-faced than I intended, but I can definitely work with it. 
> 
> Happy end of a decade everyone, and have a great new year! Thanks for all the support.


	3. No Escape

Dick had, thankfully, paid close attention in his lessons as a child. He could recall the detailed history of all eight kingdoms in the land.

The Crimson Kingdom was one of the largest and strongest of the eight kingdoms, rivaled only by Dick’s own Azure Kingdom.

Despite sharing a border, the two kingdoms never had the best relationship, but they were not constantly at war either. Teetering on the edge of enemies and allies, they had their share of a complicated history.

Many, many generations ago, the very first queen of the Crimson Kingdom ran away from the cruel king, gathered an army, and she defeated him. In return for sparing his life, the queen took half the kingdom for her own, and it was the birth of the Azure Kingdom.

Dick never really understood how two kingdoms that were so different were once united. The Azure Kingdom must have been the blessed half because they never had conflicts like the Crimson Kingdom did every hundred or so years.

Several years back, the Crimson Kingdom had been going through a prosperous age under the rule of Queen Catherine for twenty-five years when the beloved queen was murdered by the ex-King, her psychotic husband, whom she had divorced shortly after the birth of her heir.

Half of the royal family’s private wing had been burned to the ground, with both Queen Catherine and her ex-husband perishing in the flames. The only survivor of the royal family was the prince, asleep in his room throughout the whole thing.

The young alpha boy was only fourteen at the time. He barely had time to mourn before he was crowned on his fifteenth birthday a few months later.

Rumors spread through the kingdom and its neighbors, wondering if such a young boy could really lead such a large kingdom. Rebellions and invasions started. Dick had only been thirteen at the time, but he remembered the hushed dinner conversations between his parents and their advisors, torn between joining in or helping their neighbor.

They never had the time to make the official decision.

According to rumors alone, the young king had an older half-brother. The bastard child, by his father who had no royal blood, was livid at the condition of the kingdom and believed that his younger brother was unfit to rule. So, he built up a rebel group and usurped the rightful king.

No one knew the half-brother’s real name, but the name he took up struck fear into the hearts of everyone in the land anyway – Red Hood.

Apparently, Red Hood was raised by his crazed father, whom was so consumed by hatred and rage that it rubbed off on his alpha son. Red Hood had a strong hatred for the queen and his half-brother, believing the crown of his birthright because he was older, despite having no biological connection to the royal bloodline.

However, seeing that these "facts" were all based on rumor, Dick had no idea what was truth, what was falsehood. The story also did not back up the fact that Red Hood was soon consumed by the Royal’s Curse after becoming the king of the Crimson Kingdom.

The Royal’s Curse is one thing that made Dick oh-so-glad that he was born an omega and not an alpha. The Royal's Curse was more of an illness than a curse, in truth. Alphas usually start having ruts at their eighteenth birthdays, and if they go through too many ruts without a partner, they usually start getting sick. However, for alphas with royal blood, the sickness quickly spirals to insanity.

Cursed alphas become extremely dangerous to be around: blood-thirsty, easily angered, violent and vicious. They suddenly have inhuman strength and enhanced senses, falling pretty to baser instincts. Worst of all, they are known to rape omegas of royal blood, or if the curse progresses far enough, any omegas.

Luckily, the Royal’s Curse can easily be cured or prevented before it starts, which is why royal families usually marry off omegas to eligible alphas in arranged marriages. As far as Dick knows, there have only been a handful of cases of the Royal’s Curse in the history of the land, and certainly none like that of Red Hood.

In the extreme cases of the curse, alphas are usually reduced to feral beasts, too dangerous to let anyone near them, certainly not an omega at that. And this usually happens in the span of a few weeks. And Red Hood has been a victim of the curse for over three years now, as far as Dick knew.

None of it quite added up, which was frustrating, but Dick knew a few things for sure.

One, he had been kidnapped by the Red Hood that night of his heat. Two, that blasted alpha had knotted and marked him. Three, Dick was not going to sit here like some damsel and just take it. Unlike what most people seemed to think, Dick was not some pretty, delicate thing. And he was determined to prove it.

It had been four days since he woke up in the cell in the dungeons of the Crimson Palace, and Dick had come to terms with his situation. In fact, he had worked out an escape plan.

“George?” Dick called. It had not taken long to learn the names of his guards.

One of the guards turned his head towards him and grunted. “What is it?” he asked.

Dick smiled at him. “I’m hungry,” he said.

“Too bad, pretty boy,” George said, turning back again.

Dick sighed and walked up to the bars. “Can’t you get me anything to eat? It doesn’t have to be anything fancy! Just an apple would do.”

“Wait until lunch.”

“George,” Dick said, his voice dropping into a lower volume. “I really want an apple. Please.”

George ignored him.

Dick pressed his lips together. “Okay, fine. I… I think I’m pregnant. And I _really_ want an apple.”

George whipped around so fast, Dick feared he would get whiplash. His eyes narrowed at Dick, looking him up and down. Dick bit his lower lip and kept his expression innocent. “Pregnant?” George asked slowly.

Dick nodded.

George turned to his partner, Piers. “Hey, does he smell pregnant?”

Piers glared at him. “How should I know? I ain’t an alpha!”

George looked at Dick again, frowning. He let out a low grumble. “Just an apple, you say?”

Dick nodded, his eyes shining brightly. “Yes, please.”

George patted Piers on the shoulder. “I’m going to go get an apple.”

Piers just grunted in response. Dick watched as George walked off, his footsteps fading as he walked away.

Despite their seemingly cold exterior, Dick easily found out that his guards were not the brightest of their peers. Piers was a beta who tried acting tough because he was bullied as a kid for being a momma’s boy. Dick found out when Piers’ handkerchief fell out of his pocket two days ago (his mother made it for him).

On the other hand, George was an alpha who used to work as a blacksmith before being recruited to the royal guard because it paid better. Apparently he had a pregnant wife at home at the moment, and though Dick was a little sorry about taking advantage of his soft spot for pregnant omegas, it was all part of his great escape plan.

“Piers,” Dick whispered a few minutes after George was gone. “I need to go to the bathroom.”

“Again?” Piers asked.

“Yes,” Dick said.

“You went an hour ago. No.”

“But- But-” Dick started blubbering and his eyes shimmered with tears. “Piers…”

Piers looked incredibly uncomfortable. His eyes darted back and forth. “Why- Why are you crying?” he demanded.

“I just wanna go to the bathroom, Piers!” Dick said, tears falling form his eyes.

“Okay, okay! When George gets back with your apple-”

“Now, Piers!”

“Shit, okay!”

Piers unlocked the door and let Dick step out. Dick walked quickly towards the bathroom, Piers trailing behind him, grumbling the whole while. They were out of the dungeons and walked towards the main part of the palace. While they would usually turn down the hallway and slip into the servants’ corridors, Dick continued down the hallway.

“Hey, where are you going?!”

He shoved open the door that led into the main hallway. Dick took off running without even knowing where he was going. He just tore up the down the hall, pushing past a couple of servants. Dick heard Piers’ shouting behind him, but he dared not look back. He continued running as fast as he could, navigating blindly through the palace.

“Hey, you! Stop!” another guard shouted as Dick darted past.

“Shit,” Dick panted as the group chasing him only grew by the second. He took a sharp right at the end of the hallway, and unfortunately for him, ran straight into someone.

Dick stumbled and tried to run around the person, but the person grabbed his upper arm.

“Let go!” Dick screamed, tugging at his arm. “Argh!” He aimed a kick at the person holding him, but the person was faster, sweeping their leg out and tripping Dick.

Dick fell onto his back with a groan.

There was a soft sigh, and Dick opened his eyes to glare at the man who had tripped him. Black hair, blue eyes, a tight frown, aristocratic face, smelling distinctly alpha, Dick could not decide whether he was attracted to him or not. Either way, it was _not_ the time.

The man knelt above him, an unimpressed expression on his face. Just then, the group of guards finally caught up.

“I thought I told you boys no more tag in the halls?” the man said with a disappointed tone. His voice, though scolding, sent a slight shiver down Dick's spine.

Piers cleared his throat and nodded. “I- yes, you did, sir. But- But this is, um, this is the escaped prisoner.”

“Escaped prisoner?” the man asked, looking down at Dick again. Dick glared back defiantly. “Well, I suggest you take him back before His Majesty finds out.”

The man stood up and sighed, brushing his coat off. He turned and walked back down the hall. Dick watched him go, glaring daggers into his back. Despite the initial attraction, Dick now decided he did not like that man.

Piers jerked Dick to his feet. “Real smart,” he hissed. “Now you sure ain’t going anywhere, pregnant or not!”

~

Since his failed escape, Dick developed a daily routine. After breakfast of water and dry toast, he would meditate for a while. Then, he would stretch, keeping his body in a flexible state. Lunch usually consisted of bland soup or some tasteless porridge. In his afternoons, Dick took to more acrobatics, reciting what poems he could remember, or pretending to nap while planning his revenge on Red Hood and the stupid man who foiled his escape. He got a bathroom break before dinner. After dinner, Dick would make a mark on the wall with a loose pebble.

There were six marks now. It had nearly been a week since he was kidnapped, and still no one had shown up to rescue him.

Dick sighed and grabbed his blanket. He crawled onto the stone bench and lay down, fluffing up his barley sack pillow as much as possible.

Just as Dick closed his eyes, he heard a creak of the dungeon doors opening. Footsteps came towards his cell. Piers and George shifted at his cell door.

“Your Majesty,” they murmured.

Dick’s blood ran cold. He managed to keep his breathing steady and slow. Dick heard a jingle of keys, and the sound of his cell door opening.

One, two, three slow footsteps of someone entering his cell. There was a long stretch of silence.

“I know you’re awake, omega.”

Red Hood’s voice was impossibly soft, and for a second, Dick almost thought he meant no harm. But Dick knew better. This was the ruthless Red Hood.

“Well, I can’t possibly sleep with all the noise you’re making when you entered,” Dick said flatly.

“I heard about your escape.”

“Attempted escape,” Dick said to the stone wall. “Since I’m still here.”

There was a long silence. Then, Red Hood asked, “Were you… hurt?”

Rage boiled in Dick’s veins. He turned over and sat up. He let the blanket fall to the ground as he stormed up to the alpha, who wore a dark red cloak and a matching mask.

“Was I hurt?” Dick asked. He gave a humorless scoff. “Why would you care?”

“Because you belong to me,” Red Hood said flatly.

“I don’t belong to you,” Dick spat. “I will _never_ belong to you. Just because your mating mark is on me does not mean you have any claim over me.” He whirled around, crossing his arms and huffing.

Suddenly, Red Hood was pressed against his back, making Dick tense up in surprise. He let out a small gasp when Red Hood’s lips touched the shell of his ear.

“I can smell the arousal on you, little blue,” Red Hood said. He gave a dark chuckle that made shivers run through Dick in both need and disgust. “Your body knows you to be mine.”

“Because of your stupid fucking mark!” Dick said. “But it means absolutely nothing.”

Red Hood chuckled again. It had no warmth at all. “I don’t need it to mean anything.” He stepped back. “You will make a suitable mate after all, _Your Majesty,_ ” he mocked. With a whirl of his cloak, Red Hood stepped out of the cell and started back up the hallway.

Dick turned back around, fuming. “You deserve to be cursed! I’m _glad_ you are! It’s not something a mate can cure, obviously!” Red Hood did not heed a single word Dick shouted at him. “You brought the curse upon yourself, you apathetic asshole!”

Dick was panting hard when the dungeon door shut with a definite clang.

“Argh!” he shouted, picking up one of the stools and slamming it into the wall. One of the legs splintered and broke off. He felt a little better after that.

However, when Dick finally calmed down enough to go back to sleep, he could not ignore the terribly lonely feeling in his heart.

Even though he tried fiercely to convince himself that he was glad that Red Hood did not care about him, the part of him that grew up with fairy tales and happily ever afters ached for a mate that would treat him like he hung the stars.

And that just was not the mate Dick ended up with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to keep some semblance of a posting schedule, so let's see if I can get a chapter up next week.
> 
> I will also fix up Dick's faulty characterization sometime soon.


	4. The Unmasked Mystery

It was day ten.

Dick was busy meditating since it seemed like his breakfast was late that morning. He sat on the floor of the cell, his legs crossed and his hands resting on his lap. He took deep breaths, counting in his head to maintain a steady rhythm.

However, his concentration was broken by the sound of the dungeon door opening and footsteps coming towards his cell. They were different from the clunky steps of Piers, the hurried pattering of George, or even the detached footsteps of Red Hood.

Dick took one last breath before opening his eyes.

He could not contain his surprise. “You,” he said.

It was the man that had tripped him on the day of his attempted escape. He wore a loose white shirt and leather pants with shiny black boots. It was rather casual compared to what he was wearing that other day. What surprised Dick even more was the lack of a mask. The man had not worn one before either, now that Dick thought about it.

As far as Dick had seen, the only people who did not wear masks in the palace were the servants, whom Dick had only seen in brief glimpses when he ran past them last week. And this man, of course. Dick’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“What are you doing here?” he asked cautiously, noticing the tray of food the man carried. “Didn’t take you for a servant.”

The man did not look particularly amused. “Door please,” he said.

George nodded and unlocked the door.

The man pushed the door open with his back and set the tray down on the table. Dick slowly stood up, his eyes still narrowed in distrust.

“Eat,” the man said, nodding at the tray. “I went through quite some trouble to get you some decent food.”

Dick glanced at the tray. Instead of the usual glass of water and toast, the tray carried a glass of milk, a roll of bread, slices of cheese, a hard-boiled egg, smoked fish, and an apple. Dick looked back at the man.

“If it would make you feel more comfortable, I’ll sit over there while you eat,” the man offered, pointing to the other side of the room. He grabbed the new stool and placed it in the opposite corner before sitting down.

Even so, Dick did not make a move towards the food, no matter how inviting it was.

“Eat,” the man repeated. “Then we’ll talk.”

Talking meant answers, and that was something Dick had been after ever since he woke up in the damned cell in the enemy’s palace.

Dick sat down on the remaining stool and picked up the fork. He gave the man a distrustful look and tucked into the meal. Dick had not realized how much he appreciated salt until the delicious fish touched his lips, and he found himself licking his lips to get more of the taste.

Dick polished off all the food as fast as he could, partially because it was the best he had had since he arrived, and partially because he wanted to get talking. Dick washed down the last of the bread and cheese with a large swig of rich milk. He set his fork down and dabbed his mouth with the provided napkin.

“I want answers,” Dick demanded.

The man nodded. “I assumed as much. I’ll do the best I can.”

“Who are you?” Dick started with. “And how do I know I can trust anything you say anyway? You’re the enemy.”

The man took a deep breath and clasped his hands together. “Because I’m the best you’ve got right now,” he said with great certainty. “I’m not supposed to be talking to you, and I certainly don’t have to be giving you any answers at all.”

Dick pursed his lips, unsatisfied but realizing it was the best he could get, like the man said. “Fine,” he said. “So who are you exactly?”

The man smiled, which surprised Dick. “I’m a friend. Call me Jason.”

“That doesn’t sound suspicious at all,” Dick muttered under his breath. “And why exactly are you… helping me, Jason?”

Jason shrugged. “Would you believe me if I said I wanted to?”

“No.”

“Okay. Call it pity with a touch of curiosity then,” Jason said. “I don’t get out much, but I have heard that King Richard is sweet and charismatic. Never imagined him to be questioning me like I’m some hardened criminal,” Jason laughed.

“I don’t know many people who are sweet to their kidnappers,” Dick scoffed.

Jason nodded. “Fair enough. What else do you want to know?”

“What does Hood want with me?” Dick demanded.

Jason shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said. “And if I did, I don’t think I’m allowed to reveal that information.”

Dick gritted his teeth. “So you are working for him.”

Jason snorted. “I wouldn’t call it _working_. He doesn’t exactly pay me for what I do.”

“And what is it that you do?”

“Nothing of consequence, really,” Jason said dismissively. “His Majesty doesn’t let anyone close enough to him to know all his plans.”

“But you admit you’re close to him?” Dick said accusingly.

Jason made a face. “It’s complicated. I certainly would not call him a friend.” Dick continued to glare at him. “Look, Your Majesty, I’m not the bad guy here. I’m trying to help you.”

Dick glared at Jason for a long time before he finally sighed and stopped. “Don’t call me that,” he muttered, looking at a pebble in the corner of his cell.

“What, Your Majesty?” Jason asked. “Okay. What should I call you then?”

Dick opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. “Just Dick is fine.”

“Alright,” Jason said. “Dick it is.”

They fell into a short silence with Dick staring at the pebble, and Jason staring at Dick. The whole situation felt strange, from the suddenness is Jason's arrival to the man's uncanny ability to dodge questions. But Dick also had a gut feeling that Jason was not going to pose as a problem in the grand scheme of things, maybe more of a minor nuisance.

Dick looked up, his expression half-annoyed. “Don’t you have things to do?”

Jason blinked. “Oh, yes, I do.” He stood up, brushing himself off. “I should… get to that then. Nice to meet you, Dick. I want to apologize about the way we first met. I promise I did not intend to hurt you.”

Dick nodded stiffly. Jason came over and took the tray. He headed towards the cell door, but he lingered in the doorway.

“Would you mind if I came back during dinner time?” Jason asked. “I’ll see if I can sneak more food in?”

Dick hesitated for a moment, but slowly nodded, sold at the promise of better food. He could tolerate the strange alpha for another meal, and perhaps squeeze some straighter answers out as well. “I can’t exactly stop you,” he said, trying to sound reluctant.

Jason gave him a small smile and left. When he was gone, Dick allowed himself a tiny grin too. While he was unsure whether or not he was opposed to Jason’s company, one thing was for sure: if Dick could gain the man’s trust, perhaps Jason would let slip something that could give Dick some sort of upper hand on Red Hood as well.

Dick’s smile then turned into a grimace. He also realized that the longer he spent in the dungeons of the Crimson palace, the more and more manipulative and ugly he was becoming.

He had to get out of here soon.

~

True to his promise, Jason returned at dinnertime, this time, carrying twice as much food on the tray.

He caught Dick in the middle of his stretching.

“You are quite… flexible,” Jason said, looking a tad bit queasy at the position Dick was in.

Dick brought his legs back down from over his head and stood. He scoffed. “I didn’t ask for you to gawk like I’m part of some exotic entertainment from the New East.”

“I didn’t say it was a bad thing,” Jason said calmly, setting the tray down onto the table.

“Oh,” Dick said. “You… don’t think it’s strange?” he asked. “Most people don’t exactly approve of my preference of stretches over sword fighting.”

“Is it strange?” Jason asked, sitting down. “The thought never crossed my mind.”

Dick sat down across from Jason, giving Jason a calculating look. “Right,” he said slowly.

“I think it’s interesting,” Jason said. “I’ve never seen anyone do that before.”

“Well, thank you. I think,” Dick said, holding his chin up high and giving Jason a short nod. Then, he looked at the array of juicy meats and the steaming vegetables. His mouth watered, but he waited for Jason to pick up his utensils first before picking up his own and digging in.

Dick was also pleasantly surprised when he sipped out of his cup and found the sweet taste of wine instead of water.

“From the kingdom’s own vineyards,” Jason said without looking up from where he was cutting the tender meat into smaller, evenly-sized bites. “It’s nothing like the wine from the Lavender Kingdom though.”

Dick licked his lips slowly, setting his cup down. He stared at his food for a few seconds. “Wouldn’t Hood be upset when he finds out you’ve been here? And eating dinner with me, no less.”

Jason glanced up. Then, he rolled his eyes. “He wouldn’t notice,” he said. “His Majesty always takes meals in his chambers.” Then, his face became briefly irritated. “Not that anyone really wants his company,” he muttered under his breath. “I doubt he’d find out unless someone tells him,” he told Dick, silently raising an eyebrow in question.

“I’m not saying anything,” Dick said quickly. “I’d end up going back to lukewarm soup for dinner!” Jason did not seem all too convinced so Dick gave him a little smile.

“Oh, and if you’re worried because I’m an alpha and you’re his omega, you shouldn’t,” Jason said. “He’s not possessive about... his possessions.”

“Well, I expected as much,” Dick said, the aftertaste of the wine going bitter in his throat. “And I am _not_ his omega, nor am I a possession!”

“Of course not, my apologies,” Jason said without missing a beat.

Dick stared at him for a second before nodding and finishing the last of his meat and wiping up the juices with a hunk of bread. They continued to eat in silence with Dick glancing up at Jason every once in a while. Jason did not seem to notice.

“I was wondering something,” Dick said carefully, watching Jason to gauge his expression.

“Hm?”

“You said earlier today that you’re close to Hood. But you’re confident enough in your standing with him that you won’t be punished for doing this. You also don’t seem to be particularly busy seeing that you’re bothering keeping the prisoner company. What exactly do you do again?” Dick asked, trying to sound casual.

Jason smiled. “I never said, if I do recall correctly. But I do a bit of this, a bit of that. Run errands, perhaps.”

“Errands,” Dick repeated. “What kind of errands?”

Jason shrugged and popped a grape into his mouth. “Yesterday, I made sure the new order of curtains for the library would allow in the right amount of afternoon sunlight for reading.”

“Sounds… boring.”

“Dreadfully so,” Jason agreed. “But that is my job. I’m sure you have- had more fun doing your job.”

Dick’s lips pressed into a thin line. It was clear Jason was avoiding the question and directing attention away from himself. “Sometimes,” Dick said lightly, giving as much as he got. “Mostly it is also dreadfully boring though.”

Jason chuckled. “Sometimes, I wish worked in the castle’s stable instead. Exercising all those horses seems like a lot more fun than giving final approval for the dinner menu every night.”

“So you’re like the head of the servants?” Dick asked. “It would explain why you don’t wear a mask.”

Jason’s eyes flickered to the side briefly. “Sure,” he finally said. “Something like that. And I don’t wear a mask because I choose not to. It’s stifling and really limits the peripherals of my vision.”

“I see,” Dick said slowly, finishing off his wine. Getting the information he wanted proved to be a bit more difficult that he imagined. He set the cup down.

“Finished?” Jason inquired.

“Quite.”

Jason gathered their plates and utensils onto the tray and picked it up. “I hope you enjoyed dinner, and I hope you didn’t mind me intruding upon the meal with you,” he said politely. He nodded his head in a way that was almost reminiscent of a servant’s bow. Dick started questioning his quick dismissal of the notion that Jason was really a servant of high standing. But he did not bow before, so why bow now, unless he is trying to convince Dick? The other pieces of the puzzle did not quite add up to the servant theory, but Dick kept that possibility somewhere in the back of his head.

“It didn’t bother me so much,” Dick said, though he found he had actually come to appreciate Jason’s company a bit. It made the silence of his prison more bearable. George and Piers have not been great conversationalists since the attempted escape.

Jason smiled. “Then perhaps I’ll be back.”

Dick allowed himself a small smile back.

Jason turned and was out the door, but halfway down the hall, he turned on his heels and quickly walked back.

Dick raised an eyebrow at his return. “Did you forget something?” he asked almost teasingly. Almost.

“Yes, actually,” Jason said. “I forgot to ask if there is anything else you need or would like."

Dick bit back a sarcastic reply and chewed his lower lip. It was a bit hard to tell whether Jason was being sincere or not. “I could do with a fluffier pillow, and thicker blankets would certainly be nice.” He ended up half-joking while wearing a completely serious expression.

Jason gave him an unreadable look. “Ah, got it. Well, good night, Dick.” He offered Dick a smile and turned to go.

“Night, Jason,” Dick said, watching as the alpha walked away and left the dungeons.

~

When Dick woke up the next morning, two thick blankets were folded neatly on the little wooden table with a large, silk pillow set on top of it all.

A note was balanced on top:

_I cannot join you for breakfast this morning due to a woefully boring meeting I must attend, but I’m sure you can find other things to do in my absence. Perhaps I will be back for lunch._

_Sincerely, Jason._

_P.S. I hope the blankets are satisfactory. You may appreciate that I ~~stole~~ borrowed them from His Majesty’s personal linen closet. I was unable to slip a pillow through, so for time’s being, you may use mine._

Dick stared at note for a very long time. It seemed that every time things started making sense about Jason, something else just threw him off again. However, now that he had the time, Dick did not mind the challenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for disappearing. Things happened. I might be back, haven't decided yet, but this chapter was almost done, so I just finished it up. Thanks for sticking around.


	5. His Visitors

Jason did not show up again for a couple of days, and Dick assumed Jason forgot about him or something. So Dick was a bit surprised to wake up to Jason attempting to quietly sneak into his cell while balancing a tray heavy with food. He was even more surprised to find that both George and Piers were absent.

Dick sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning. “Where’d the guards go?”

Jason set the tray down and sat with a smile. “Sent them away. Thought you might like the privacy.”

“They listened to you?” Dick questioned, eyebrows shooting up.

“Are you complaining?” Jason asked.

“No,” Dick grumbled, sitting down across from Jason. He stared at the breakfast laid out before him. His stomach grumbled at the smell of the food. “Thanks,” he tacked on at the end.

Jason just smiled, and they tucked into their food. Dick did his best not to shovel food into his mouth, but if he did, Jason kindly turned a blind eye to his lack of manners.

Then, Jason let out a small laugh. “You’ve got some jam on your face.”

Dick grabbed the napkin and wiped his mouth. He went to take a bite of his toast again.

“No… it’s still there,” Jason said, looking quite amused. “On your right cheek.”

Dick wiped at it again.

Jason shook his head. “Not quite,” he said. He took his own napkin, reached across the table and wiped the jam off of Dick’s cheek. “There, see?”

Dick blinked at him a few times. “You smell really familiar,” he said, eyes narrowing.

“How so?” Jason asked, folding his napkin and setting it aside.

Dick cocked his head to the side. “Not sure. I didn’t notice it before though…”

Jason nodded at Dick’s bed, which was drowning in the soft blankets and its fluffy pillow hanging off the edge. “Perhaps it’s because you’ve been sleeping on my pillow for the past few days when you weren’t before?”

“Oh,” Dick said. “That makes sense.” He laughed in relief and shook his head. “I thought I was going to uncover one of your cryptic secrets for a second.”

Jason grinned. “I’m an open book to all, despite what you might think.”

Dick just rolled his eyes and went back to his food.

“I can ask one of the maids to wash the pillow and sheets again with some scent-blocking soap, if you wish,” Jason offered.

Dick considered it for a second. “No,” he finally settled on. “I don’t want to get you in trouble or anything.” He blushed ever so slightly. “And it’s not like your scent is terrible. I can live with it.”

Jason laughed. “How considerate of you, Dick.”

“By the way,” Dick said, one of his cheeks stuffed with food once again. “Where’d you go off to for two days?”

“Did you miss me?” Jason teased. Then, more seriously, “I was running errands for His Majesty. Took me all the way to the Amber Kingdom.”

Dick looked up in surprise. “The Amber Kingdom? What does Hood want with them?”

The Amber Kingdom was one of the few completely neutral parties in the on-again-off-again feuds between the Azure and Crimson Kingdoms. It was well known that they were a safe space for either party, but absolutely no fighting was allowed within the kingdom’s borders.

The current Amber queen was a good friend of Dick’s, and she had urged Dick several times to go into hiding with the other omega royalty back when Hood was first consumed by the Royal’s Curse.

It turned out that she had been right all along.

Jason sighed. “Don’t know. I just delivered documents to Queen Kory. Didn’t actually stay very long.”

“Did you see her sisters? How’ve they been?” Dick asked, a touch of urgency to his voice. The queen’s twin sisters were both omegas, and they had been away in hiding for the better part of the year. But due a strange illness that came upon the queen, they had to return to the castle. As far as Dick knew, they were still there.

“They’re doing well,” Jason said. “They’re worried for the queen, obviously, and they are acting as regents on days she is particularly ill.”

Dick pressed his lips together tightly. “I was planning on paying her a visit,” he said softly. “They must think I’m an asshole.”

“Quite the contrary,” Jason said with a comforting smile. “Everyone is looking for you. They’re worried about your safety as well as wanting revenge on your kidnapper. There are many bounties placed on His Majesty’s head at the moment, though I don’t think anyone’s pinned him as the culprit yet.”

Dick stopped eating, his food turning cold and tasteless in his mouth. “You mean, _no one_ has made the connection that just _maybe_ the _omega_ king was taken by some curse-crazed alpha from the neighboring kingdom?”

Jason shrugged helplessly. “I wish I could give you an answer to that,” he said softly.

Dick huffed and shook his head. “I don’t expect you to understand,” he muttered. “You work for him after all.”

Jason gave a silent wince. “Dick-”

“I think I’m done eating,” Dick said, cutting him off a bit rudely.

Jason stared at him for a brief moment. “Very well,” he said quietly. He stood up and cleaned up the food. He gave Dick one last glance before leaving, shutting the door quietly behind him. A couple moments after he disappeared out of the dungeons, George and Piers were sent back in to silently take their posts in front of Dick’s cell door.

~

Dick was honestly really surprised when Jason came back at dinnertime.

“Would you mind company, or would you rather eat alone?” Jason asked, sliding the tray onto the table.

Dick continued to stare up at the ceiling from where he was lying. He rolled over onto his side slowly, his face pressed into the pillow that smelled of Jason. It was strangely comforting.

“You… can stay,” Dick grumbled, not particularly wanting company, but also not wanting to stew in silence any more than he had to.

Jason gave him a smile that was almost nervous. “Are you sure?” he asked. “You don’t have to feel obligated.”

Dick sighed and pushed himself up. “Stay,” he said a bit more firmly. He nodded at the stool Jason usually took.

Jason sat, and he offered Dick an apple as a peace offering. Dick stared at him for a few seconds before accepting the apple and biting into the sweet flesh of the fruit.

“Thanks,” Dick said, sitting down across from Jason.

“I was told you never got that apple you asked for the day you tried to run away,” Jason said with a smile.

Dick gave him a wry grin, relaxing. “I suppose I didn’t. It’s good. I love apples.” He took another bite, licking away the sweet juice before it could run down his chin. “It’s usually too cold to grow apples in the kingdom,” he said nostalgically. “I did have an apple tree in the garden, but the apples were small and not as sweet. Our apples almost always came from out of borders, so they were not as fresh by the time they were eaten.”

Jason’s smile grew. “Then perhaps you’ll be happy to know that I picked that apple on my way to the kitchens.”

“There are apple trees here?” Dick asked in mild surprise.

“Oh, there’s a whole orchard,” Jason laughed, relaxing. “Not huge, only forty-two trees, but considering it’s the royal orchards, I’d say that’s quite a lot of apple trees.”

Dick stopped mid-chew. “You stole an apple from the royal orchards?”

“Persuaded the pickers to sneak me a few, actually,” Jason said. “His Majesty would not miss a couple of apples, I’m sure.”

“Huh,” Dick said slowly, resuming his chewing. “I would advise against that from now on though. You could get in trouble with Hood.”

“He won’t find out,” Jason assured confidently. “C’mon, dinner’s getting cold.”

Dinner was overall less eventful. They chatted about very little, mostly eating in companionable silence. The meal seemed to end a bit quicker than Dick had anticipated.

“Oh, before I go,” Jason said, pausing at the doorway. “Is there anything you would like?”

Dick shrugged. “I’m kind of bored in here, so something to do would be nice.”

“Mmm… books?” Jason asked.

Dick smiled. “Books would be nice, actually.”

Jason grinned. “Great. I’ll see what His Majesty won’t miss from the library.” He gave Dick a wink before stepping out and shutting the door behind him. “Good night, Dickie!”

Dick watched Jason walk away, a small smile lingering on his face.

The next morning, Dick found a stack of several books on his table. On top was a note again:

 _Spent a few hours going through the library and picked out some of my personal favorites. I suggest you start with the one about the knight and his search for the woman in the moon. Also, if His Majesty ever asks you where his favorite book went, it is a complete coincidence_, _got it?_

_Sincerely, Jason_

Dick found the aforementioned book to be the first in the stack, and as he traced his finger along the spine of the book, he wondered who Jason really was – a king’s rebellious subordinate who sympathized for his ruler’s prisoner but is unwilling to trust that prisoner despite wanting to help? It was a curious character, and Dick was certain there was more to Jason’s story.

Good thing was, he had the time to uncover it.

~

There were fourteen marks carved into the wall of the cell when Dick awoke suddenly with a shiver.

The cell felt much colder than it had been when he went to sleep a few hours before. A sharp breath confirmed that something was off. The air was filled with a tangy, almost bitter scent to it. Dick pressed his face into his pillow and took shallow breaths to avoid breathing it in, but even Jason’s faint scent could not block it out.

“Someone’s been visiting you,” Red Hood’s voice grated out behind him.

Dick did not answer, closing his eyes and chanting for Red Hood to leave him alone.

“Who is it.”

“Your mother’s ghost,” Dick sniped, unable to help himself.

Red Hood slammed his fist into the wall, the loud sound making Dick jump ever so slightly. “I asked you a question, little blue,” he said mockingly. “I suggest you answer.”

“I’m not threatened by you,” Dick said, his back still stubbornly facing Red Hood. “You can’t make me tell you anything.”

Red Hood’s scent changed, suddenly becoming softer and _warmer_. “I can be very persuasive,” he rumbled, sounding like he already won.

Dick pressed further into the pillow, ignoring Red Hood. He did his best to ignore the insistent urging of his body to go to his alpha, who was now smelling quite nice.

There was a quiet flipping of pages, and Dick tensed.

“So it’s someone who knows me,” Red Hood mused. “That narrows that list down to… _one_. What a _curious_ development. This is quite perfect. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to teach him a lesson in my authority.”

Dick sat up, glaring at Red Hood, staring straight into the black holes of the mask. “You will _not_ hurt him,” he said.

“Or what, little blue?” Red Hood mocked. “You’ll cry?”

Dick’s gaze became ice cold, and this time, it was his scent that became bitter. He smiled, teeth glinting in a faint light from the end of the hall. “No, I won’t, but perhaps you will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a dream a few days ago where I traveled through all eight of the kingdoms on horseback with two other people (no idea who they were). Bruce's kingdom (not yet introduced) was hella creepy. Then I got chased out of the Crimson kingdom for taking their mini hand sanitizers. Their head blacksmith was a minotaur. It was a strange dream.


	6. A Trace of Truth

After Red Hood left in a whirl of his blood-red cloak, Dick spent the night pacing up and down the cell. He could tell that his silent walks back and forth were unsettling for George and Piers, who were much more on edge than usual. When daylight finally started pouring into the tiny barred window, Dick had gathered his thoughts and his arguments.

Now he was just trying to find a way to keep his promise to Red Hood.

“You look particularly upset this morning,” Jason said, raising an eyebrow at Dick, who was so lost in his thoughts he did not hear Jason approach. Jason carried a tray of breakfast, as usual, but only with one hand. His other hand was bandaged and hung by his side. George and Piers were gone as well. “Is stretching not enough exercise so that you had to resort to marching?”

Dick did not even crack a smile. “Sit,” he said sharply, glaring at Jason.

“Did… I do something?” Jason asked in confusion, wisely sitting down. He gently set the tray down.

Dick stood in the middle of the room and crossed his arms. “I want you to tell me the truth,” he said. “Who the hell are you, and what the hell is your relationship with Hood?”

Jason’s confusion grew. “Huh? What’s with the interrogation all of a sudden? Dick, did something happen last night?”

Dick did not answer.

“Can we at least talk about this over breakfast?” Jason sighed, gesturing to the steaming food.

Dick continued to glare at him.

Finally, Jason’s confusion gave way to careful blankness. “Fine,” he said. He turned in his stool so that he was facing Dick. Jason carefully folded his hands into his lap and looked Dick dead in the eyes. “My name is Jason Todd. My mother was Queen Catherine. The current king usurped me when I was 15, but _mercifully_ allowed me to live. He’s my… half-brother.”

Whatever Dick was expecting, he was not expecting that. He stared at Jason for the longest time, but everything suddenly made sense: the suspicious “errands” Jason ran for the king, the authority he held over almost everyone in the castle, his nonchalant way of doing things spontaneously, and the hinted distaste for Red Hood.

“You’re the prince,” Dick said quietly, almost to himself.

“Prince, child king, orphaned crown, errand boy… I’ve got quite a few names,” Jason said with a small sigh.

“People in the castle know you’re the prince though!” Dick said abruptly. “George and Piers listen to you without hesitation! You walk around without a mask on! Why don’t the other kingdoms know you’re alive?”

“No news of me ever leaves the Crimson Kingdom,” Jason said wryly. “Everyone’s afraid of His Majesty.”

“Don’t you want your crown back, though?” Dick asked, outraged at Jason’s compliance. “Don’t you want the truth to get out and for rumors to be put to rest?”

“Of course I do,” Jason said with a sigh. “But those things all come with a heavy price, Dick. It may be better this way. I have a bit more freedom than I would have as king. No one cares if I don’t eat meals in the dining room and spend too much time in the dungeons with the prisoner instead. I’m not burdened with all the executive decisions about the kingdom, and I get to spend days at a time riding across the land!”

“But your kingdom is falling apart under Hood’s rule,” Dick pleaded, trying to get Jason to see reason. “People serve him out of _fear_ , but fear of what exactly? The Royal's Curse? If you came out as the rightful ruler, people would band with you, Jason!”

Jason huffed. “And if I fail, I die, no big deal or anything.”

Dick’s expression became hard. “Then you are a coward. A ruler who is afraid to die for his kingdom shouldn’t expect others to either. I would fight to the death for my kingdom to have a rightful and fair ruler.”

“Would you now,” Jason said, squinting at Dick.

“Yes, I would,” Dick said fiercely. “I love my kingdom, and I love my subjects.”

“I see,” Jason said slowly. “I'll keep your suggestions in mind.” He gave Dick a diplomatic smile. “Would you eat now?”

Dick sighed, his anger temporarily set aside in favor for his hunger. He sat down heavily in front of Jason, reaching for the apple in the middle of the tray. He took a large bite, wiping mindlessly at the juice. “Hood stopped by last night,” Dick muttered. “He figured out that you were coming to visit me, and I think he threatened to put you in your place or something.” Dick’s eyes flickered shyly to Jason. “Wasn’t sure if you’d show up here again.”

Jason smiled at him, his chin resting in his hand. “Don’t worry, Dickie. I won’t leave without saying goodbye to my favorite royal in the castle. And His Majesty won’t do anything to me. He’s been making threats like that for years, so you just worry about yourself. He’s more of a threat to you than to me.”

Dick’s face grew hot, and he tried to hide his blush by taking a large bite of his apple. “I can take care of myself,” he muttered.

“I don’t doubt you can,” Jason said. “But if you ever do need help, I’d be more than willing to lend a hand.” He gave Dick a smile and a wink, and maybe, just maybe, he made Dick’s heart flutter the slightest bit.

“Speaking of hands,” Dick said, clearing his throat. “What happened to yours?”

“Ah,” Jason said with a grimace. “These two idiots were fighting in the hallway yesterday. I went to go break them up and took a sword hilt to the wrist. It’s just a little sprain, nothing more.”

“Then you’re wearing your other wrist out as well, aren’t you? You shouldn’t carry those trays around with just one hand,” Dick chided lightly.

Jason laughed. “You’ve become increasingly worried over me, lately. I assure you, I’m fine, Dickie. I’ve got the strength to take care of myself.”

“Right, right,” Dick said. “You’re a strong alpha who hurt his wrist after getting hit with a sword hilt.”

“Are you making _fun_ of me?” Jason asked through a laugh.

“Me? Of course not!” Dick exclaimed with a grin. “Merely repeating what I’ve been told, is all.”

“Cheeky one, aren’t you?” Jason said. “Honestly, who in the world started the rumor that King Richard is sweet and charismatic? Huh? Who was it?” Jason looked around the room, smiling widely.

“I can be sweet!” Dick protested with a laugh.

Jason’s smile became smaller but softer too. “I know,” he said.

* * *

The next time Jason visited, Dick had more questions.

They sat across each other once more, but this time, on the floor of the cell. A blanket lay under them, and a spread of apple-flavored treats sat between them.

Dick immediately cut himself a large slice of apple pie before he began his questioning.

“So your brother-”

“Half-brother,” Jason corrected, taking minimal sips of his cider.

“-managed to withstand the Royal’s Curse for so many years. No one’s ever recorded such a thing happening before. And then he suddenly snaps and kidnaps me? It doesn’t make sense.”

“That’s the thing. He lost his senses. I didn’t know him very well in the first place, and he _was_ a bit crazed from hatred and everything, but I guess the curse just won out in the end,” Jason said with a sigh.

“It’s still strange,” Dick insisted. “Also, I thought Hood had no royal blood in him. Why was he affected by the curse?”

“That’s puzzled me for years too,” Jason said. “Maybe he’s got royal blood from another kingdom? Theoretically, it’s not impossible for someone from an indirect line to be Cursed.”

Dick shoveled more pie into his mouth. “And what about you?”

“What about me?” Jason asked. He broke off a piece of freshly baked apple bread and nibbled on it delicately.

“You’re an alpha of the royal line. You didn’t end up with the Royal’s Curse,” Dick said slowly, watching Jason for a reaction.

Jason does not give him one. “Keen observation, Dickie,” he said with a smile. “But how do you know I’m not mated?”

Dick blinked a few times. “ _Oh_ , sorry, I just assumed-” He blushed and ate some more pie to shut himself up.

Jason laughed. “It’s fine,” he said. “It’s funny to see you go from sly and sneaky to flustered and embarrassed. It’s cute.”

Dick grew redder, and he made an intelligible noise.

“And to answer your question, I was mated at one point, out of sheer necessity, and it was a very brief thing. She disappeared as soon as Red Hood started his rebellion. Mark faded and disappeared a few years later, and I just never had ruts after that.”

“Wait, so you were, what, fifteen when you were mated?” Dick asked incredulously. “Why wasn’t that ever publically announced?!”

“Pretty much,” Jason admitted. “With my mother’s death, my coronation, the uprisings, it just didn’t seem to be the most important thing at the moment. And we never got married, so...”

Dick stared at Jason for a long time, his pie forgotten and growing cold. “I’m sorry, Jay…” he said softly. “I didn’t know how hard it must’ve been for you.”

Jason gave him a wry smile. He took another meager bite of the bread. “Yeah, well, it’s all in the past now. Try the bread, it’s quite good.”

Dick reached over and ripped a piece off the bread. He tried it, and it was indeed good – nutty, warm, and had a strong apple flavor. He spread some apple preserves on it and took another bite. He sighed. “My problems don’t even begin to compare to yours. I feel bad complaining now.”

“Oh, no! That’s not what I was trying to do at all!” Jason said quickly. “My life was fucked from the beginning, no matter what I did about it. Your mess could’ve been avoided, and you wouldn’t have to be dragged into this mess.”

“Guess Hood fucked us both over, didn’t he?” Dick said. “Well, there’s no use dwelling on it now. Tell me about what you’ve been doing recently. Any news from the outside?”

Jason gave him a grateful smile before launching into a detailed description of what was going on both within the kingdom and important news from other kingdoms. Dick was content just listening and watching Jason’s animated spirit.

Since the time they had first met, Dick realized that they had both gotten quite comfortable with each other. They laughed and teased, and Dick allowed himself to be silly around Jason. Jason, in return, became more expressive and showed more excitement around Dick.

The little cell that had once been an insistent reminder of discomfort for Dick was now filled with lingering warmth, regardless of whether or not Jason was there.

Then, before either of them knew it, night had fallen, and it had gotten quite late.

Jason yawned again, stretching his arms above his head as he did so. Dick noticed then just how tall Jason was. When he stretched, his hands could gaze the ceiling of the cell.

“I’m terribly sorry for staying so long,” Jason said. “I didn’t know it was so late.”

“It’s fine,” Dick assured for the nth time. “I… I like your company.”

Jason smiled. “I enjoy yours too. Well, I suppose I should let you sleep now. Is there anything you’d like before you head to bed?”

Dick looked up at Jason, almost entranced by the way the candlelight softened Jason’s features. His eyes lingered on Jason’s lips. Dick swallowed, licking his own. “Um, some- some water to drink would be nice.”

Jason gave him a tired smile. “Sure thing,” he said. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

Six-hundred and seventy-two seconds later (though Dick was counting a bit fast), Jason returned with a cup filled with cold water. Dick drank deeply, missing the way Jason watched him with a small smile on his face.

“Thank you,” Dick said, holding the cup back for Jason to take.

“Anything else?” Jason asked.

Dick’s eyes flickered to Jason’s lips again, almost daring to ask, but mentally restrained himself at the last second. “No, good night, Jason.”

Jason took the cup, hooked his hand around, and brought the back of Dick’s hand up to his lips. Dick’s eyes went wide as Jason stared back at him and gently brushed his lips against Dick’s hand. “Good night, Dickie,” Jason whispered against Dick’s hand.

Even after Jason was long gone, Dick continued to trace over the spot on his hand, convinced the heat of Jason’s lips still lingered there.

It was a shame that it did not because it was all Dick had of Jason for the next couple of weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for a short update, but I am quite excited for this chapter... for reasons I cannot disclose, unfortunately. 
> 
> Sorry I disappeared for a week, despite promising this update to come soon (I was brutally swept up into something I would have never guessed myself to take interest in). Hopefully the next chapter won't take me half a month, heh.


	7. Of That He Cannot Have

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra long update to make up for the note at the end! <3
> 
> Also, here is a [map](https://gaygent37.tumblr.com/post/618971612629385216/royals-curse-jaydick) of this world to help with the understanding of a conversation (and the world in general) later in this chapter! Find it at the end of the Tumblr post!

In the weeks that Jason disappeared, Dick realized just how much the alpha had been doing for him.

Dick found that he had no appetite for the bland soups and dry breads that made up his meals. He wished for crisp apples and smoky meats that all came with a sweet smile and perhaps a wink.

Within a few days, Dick’s cell started feeling cold again, a chill that even the comfy blankets could not keep out. The days stretched on indefinitely, sometimes passing in a blink of an eye and sometimes lasting for ages. Dick started forgetting the sound of his own voice, but he was not desperate enough to talk to himself.

Even George and Piers started taking shifts. The shifts switched between three sets of guards, and Dick tried engaging the four new guards in conversation, but they firmly refused to say anything to him.

The only thing that was really keeping Dick sane was carving lines into the stone bricks to keep track of the days. There were over thirty now.

Despite these changes, they were not the things Dick was worried about most.

In those weeks, Red Hood’s threat loomed around Dick the whole time, and Dick could not help but wonder if Jason was really okay. But Red Hood had not visited him either in those weeks, so Dick really had no clue as to what happened to Jason.

All he could do was sit in his cell, waiting. He tried planning another escape, but there were no opportunities. The only times where Dick was allowed to leave the cell was to use the bathroom twice a day and to take a shower once a week. But the “bathroom” was just another cell down the hall, reconstructed for his needs, it seemed. Guards stood outside the door the entire time and the room was entirely windowless.

As the days passed, Dick worried about Jason even though he tried not to imagine the worst possible scenarios. Dick was pretty certain that if Red Hood carried out his threat, he would make sure Dick knew about it, and since there was no moves from him, he could only assume that Jason had not fallen into his hands. Yet.

On the thirty-third day of Dick’s capture, in the dead of night, Red Hood came.

“Where’s Jason?” Dick snarled, whipping around the second he felt Red Hood’s presence enter the dungeon. He pressed himself against the bars of the cell, his hands clenched tightly around the bars and his lips pulled back in a sneer.

Red Hood made his way towards him very slowly. His steps were strangely stiff but steady, and Dick felt like he could see the smirk under the mask. Red Hood did not answer until he was in front of the cell.

“Move away,” Red Hood said in a flat voice.

Dick growled, but he stepped back, allowing the guard to open the cell door. Red Hood dismissed them with a wave of his hand, and they scurried off thankfully.

“You have some fucking nerve showing up here,” Dick said, suddenly so angry that his voice was shaking. “I told you if you-”

“I didn’t do anything,” Red Hood said calmly. “I merely sent him away on a mission. If he ran into some troubles along the way, it had nothing to do with me. It would merely be his own incompetence.” Red Hood laughed.

“Don’t test me,” Dick said through gritted teeth. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Red Hood laughed. “It means exactly what it means, little blue. What do you think you can do to-”

Dick struck, his fist flying out at Red Hood’s face. His wrist was caught easily. Red Hood pulled him in, laughing darkly. “How pathetic, omega,” he said. “You really think I’d let you hit me?” His hooded and masked face lowered to Dick’s ear. “Don’t underestimate your alpha, little blue.”

There was suddenly a pulse of alpha hormones in the air, and Dick felt his clenched fist unconsciously relax. He inhaled sharply, the powerful scent making him feel dizzy.

“That’s right,” Red Hood rumbled in his ear. “You have no way of winning against me. Understood?”

Dick’s breath was weak. “Yes,” he whispered shakily.

Red Hood chuckled. “Good.”

Dick swung his knee up, slamming it right between Red Hood’s legs. The alpha grunted loudly and let go of him, stumbling back in pained surprise. Red Hood hit the cell bars, the only thing keeping him from falling down all the way.

“Is everything alright, Your Majesty?” the guards’ voices called from the top of the stairs at the end of the hall.

“Fine!” Red Hood gritted out angrily.

Dick felt a rush of adrenaline from standing above Red Hood and looking down at him with disdain.

“I told you not to test me,” Dick said coldly. “Just because I may never win, it does not mean I won’t fight back.”

Red Hood growled, stumbling back to his feet. “How _dare_ you raise your hand against me!” he roared, but his words were still strained in pain. His hand went to his side, unsheathing his sword.

Within a second, Dick had a blade pointed at him, but he stood his ground. Red Hood’s hand was shaking.

Dick swallowed down his fear and maintained a steady voice. “I’m bound by my body, but so are you,” he said. “You cannot hurt me.”

Red Hood’s hand steadied for a moment before his sword lowered. Dick could practically see the anger in the alpha’s eyes from behind the mask. “You need to learn your place or you’ll regret it someday,” he hissed.

Dick turned his chin up. “I’m the rightful ruler of my own kingdom. And a king’s place is nowhere near filth such as yourself.”

Red Hood’s fist clenched so hard around his sword that his entire arm trembled. For a second, Dick wondered if he went too far. The alpha’s breath was coming out in furiously labored huffs, like a countdown to a blowing fuse.

Dick’s legs were weak with fear, but he forced himself to stand up straight and stare straight back at Red Hood.

Red Hood glared at him for a few seconds longer before turning on his heels and leaving with a flip of his red cloak. The door of the cell slammed shut, the entire thing shaking from the force, but Dick continued to stand calmly.

But as soon as Red Hood was out of sight, Dick sank to the ground, trembling and clutching his head. A magnificent headache had bloomed from his mind and his body were fighting viciously, one wanting to listen and one wanting to rebel, resulting in the terrible migraine. Dick could do no more than crawl back onto his hard bed and hope the pain will fade soon.

Even though Dick felt like he was fighting an entire war single-handedly, he had a feeling he just won his first battle.

* * *

Coincidentally, Jason returned the very next morning.

Dick was awake the instant he heard the dungeon doors opening. His head was still throbbing weakly, but he had gotten a few hours of light sleep. He lay still, listening. The footsteps coming down the hallway were quick, but unsteady, as if limping.

When the person reached the door of Dick’s cell, they murmured something to the guards, who left quickly. Then, the door opened.

“Dickie?”

Dick sat up and turned around, his head going dizzy at the sudden movement. “Jason!” He stepped onto the cold floor with his bare feet, padding over in an instant.

He looked over the alpha, who wore only a thin shirt and black pants. Dick could see bandages wrapped around Jason’s chest. Bandages also peeked out of one sleeve and pant leg.

“You’re hurt,” Dick said, faltering.

Jason grimaced slightly and grabbed a stool, sitting down. “It’s just a few scratches,” he said with a weak laugh. “I’ve already been checked over by the doctors.”

Dick pursed his lips and drew up the second stool. “What happened?” he asked. “You disappear for over two weeks and then you come back all battered and bruised. It wasn’t…” He thought back to how he acted towards Red Hood the night before. He shivered ever so slightly.

Jason shook his head. “This wasn’t His Majesty’s doing,” he murmured. “Bandits.”

“Bandits?” Dick asked, as if he heard wrong. “Where did you go, running into _bandits?”_

Jason sighed heavily. “There… There have been talks of war,” he mumbled.

“ _War?_ W-With who? Why?”

“Your kidnapping stirred up a lot of suspicion between the kingdoms,” he said. “Tensions have been rising, especially between us and the Azure kingdom.”

Dick gasped. “Are they- Are they finally sending someone to come get me? My kingdom has one of the best trained armies, there’s no way-”

Jason’s expression was troubled. “They were, but then Red Hood threw them off.”

Dick’s excitement died. “…What?”

“He blamed the bandits of the Darkland. There are already rumors that the bandits were becoming restless, so it wasn’t too difficult to convince the others.”

“What? No,” Dick said, shaking his head. “The Darkland bandits? What would they want with me? This isn’t- There’s no way the kingdoms believe Hood.”

“He sent me to the Sable and Fuchsia kingdoms asking for alliances against them,” Jason said. “And with how we were ambushed on the way back… Hood is going to make an official declaration of war against the Darkland bandits soon.”

Dick stood up and started pacing. “But that doesn’t make any sense!” he said. “What reason does Hood have to start a war with them? If my kingdom goes to war, it would be because of me, but what does Hood have to gain with starting a war?”

“To throw suspicion off of him. The Azure Kingdom’s prime suspect for your kidnapping is His Majesty since he is affected by the Royal’s Curse,” Jason explained. “He is also behind the raids against villages in his own kingdom. He blamed those on the bandits as well.”

Dick’s fists clenched at his sides. “So he’s really going to use the Darkland bandits as a scapegoat. Just- Just how despicable can he get?!”

Jason’s expression became even more pained. “The Fuchsia Kingdom already agreed to an alliance. The Sable Kingdom has yet to respond, but there is a good chance they will agree. Then, the only other kingdom that borders the Darkland not in this war would be yours. It would only be a matter of time.”

Dick sat back down. “No…”

“I’m sorry, Dickie.” Jason truly did sound sorry.

Dick shook his head, frowning. “You shouldn’t apologize. It’s not your fault.”

“But-” Jason cut himself off with a heavy sigh. “Either way,” he said. “I apologize.” Then, he reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out three small candies, wrapped in wax paper. “Here. It’s not much, but…”

Dick stared at them, and then his eyes lit up. “Are these… Bluebellas? But you can only get these in the Azure Kingdom.”

Jason smiled and nodded. “I got them when I passed through a town after crossing the border from the Fuchsia Kingdom. I bought a small bag, but the bandits took even those when we were attacked in the forest. These are all that’s left,” Jason said with a sheepish smile.

Dick smiled and took one of the three candies, unwrapping it with care. He popped the blue sweet into his mouth. “Thank you, Jason,” he said. “These… These were my favorite as a kid. All the maids in the palace carried some on their persons to give to me.” He laughed softly at the memories of his childhood days. “I would trick them into give me candies by falling down and crying suddenly. I was forbidden to eat anymore after I got a cavity.”

Jason smiled and nodded. “Sounds like you had fun,” he said. “Aside from the cavity.”

Dick chuckled. “Yeah,” he said. Then, he pushed one towards Jason. “Try one.”

“Oh, I can’t,” Jason said immediately. “I got them for you, and there’s only three in the first place.”

Dick rolled the round candy into his other cheek. “I insist,” he said, standing and walking around the small table to drop the candy into one of Jason’s pockets. “For when you feel like it.”

Jason’s hand bumped into Dick’s when he put his hand over the pocket. He glanced up at Dick and smiled softly. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you, Jason,” Dick said sincerely. “I- I honestly don’t know what I would do without you. I- I-” Suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of gratefulness, Dick grabbed one of Jason’s hands and dropped to one knee.

“Dick?! What- What are you doing?!” Jason asked, panicking. “There’s no need to kneel to me!” He tried pulling his hand from Dick’s grip.

Dick stubbornly refused to get up. “I owe you so much, and I don’t know how I could ever thank you enough.”

“You’re- You’re a king, Dick, please don’t do this,” Jason said weakly, looking out at the hallway. “Please get up. I- I really didn’t do that much-” Jason tried saying.

Dick glanced up at him, his eyes slightly misty. “You have so much to lose and yet… you still help me,” Dick said softly. “You sneak me food, you give me things to keep me occupied, you stay and talk to me, you bring me news from the outside…”

Jason’s face was a bit flushed. He shook his head before sliding forward and easing himself onto the ground as well.

“J-Jason?”

“You’re not getting off the ground, so I thought I’d join you,” he mumbled. “And what I did really is not as great as you make it out to be. No one deserves to be in your situation in the first place,” he said. “If anything, I wish I could do more.”

Dick gave his hand a squeeze. “I get it,” Dick said. “Your hands are tied.” He gave Jason what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “And no one deserves to be in your situation either.”

Jason met his eyes. He stared for so long that Dick was sure Jason could hear his heart pounding in his chest. Dick felt heat spread across his face, but he could not bring himself to tear his gaze away.

At that moment, time seemed to stand still. All other thoughts and worries flew out of his head, and Dick was hyper-focused on Jason. He unconsciously leaned in closer and closer until he could feel Jason’s shallow breath against his lips.

And then that space was gone, and their lips touched. Really, it was just a brush of lips, no more than a brief press, a mere exchange of breath. But as soon as the kiss had processed in Jason’s head, he threw himself backwards, hitting his head on the stool and knocking it over. Dick fell forward onto him, his eyes wide.

“Are you o-” Dick started to ask.

“I’m so sorry, Your Majesty!” Jason gasped out, the blood draining from his face. He scrambled out from underneath Dick and ripped open the door of the cell. He disappeared so quickly Dick did not have a chance to react.

The cell door crashed shut with a loud bang, pulling Dick out of his shock.

“What the fuck was that?” he muttered to himself, sitting up. After a few more seconds of baffled contemplation, Dick started to get up. But he was froze when he heard footsteps hurrying back down the hall.

Dick looked up, and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw Jason walking back, his face aflame but lowered. Dick stood up again and rushed to the door, gripping the bars with his hands.

“Jason, that was my fault. I didn’t know what came over me.”

Jason came to a stop a few feet from the cell door, making no move to open it. “Your Majesty, please,” Jason said quietly. “I only came back to properly apologize. I should not have run off like that. It was very disrespectful towards Your Majesty.” He bowed deeply.

Dick felt a pained squeeze at the title. His hands loosened on the bars. “Don’t call me that…” he said pleadingly. “Can’t we talk, Jason? I acted rashly, and it was _not_ your fault.”

Jason straightened, his eyes not meeting Dick’s. “I should- I should go now,” he said with a clear of his throat.

“Why? Do you have something to do?” Dick asked, desperately wanting Jason to stay.

Jason’s lips pressed together tightly. “I don’t… think I should push any more limits,” he said vaguely.

“Are you talking about the kiss?” Dick asked, licking his lips subconsciously. “I promise I won’t try anything like that again.”

Jason swallowed hard. His eyes flickered to the mating mark on Dick’s neck before looking back down. Then, he shook his head and stepped backwards. “Not just those limits,” he said quietly. He gave another bow. “I… good-bye, Your Majesty.”

He started walking away stiffly, and as quickly as his injured leg would allow.

“Are you coming back?” Dick asked, calling after Jason.

Jason’s gait slowed a fraction. He gave a soft sigh, his shoulders sagging a bit, but he did not answer. With that, he headed up the stairs and disappeared out of the dungeons.

* * *

Dick was wholly prepared for Jason not to come back again. He spent all morning and afternoon angrily pacing, mentally scolding himself for his lack of control. Lunch was a serving of the bland dungeon food, brought by one of the guards during the guard shift.

Yes, Jason was very attractive, and yes, Dick did want to kiss him, but Jason was his friend first! Not to mention, Dick still needed Jason’s help if he wanted any hope of escaping.

And then on top of all of that, Dick was technically a mated omega, even if it was entirely against his will. His body should have screamed bloody murder at him when he was about to kiss Jason, and Dick was so lost in his own world that he did not even hear it.

Just how messed up do you have to be to not even be conscious of your own body rebelling against your actions?

“Damn it,” Dick cursed to himself, kicking over one of the stools. Then he sighed and righted the stool, sitting down on it. He picked up one of the books he was rereading, flipping it open to a random page and trying his best to distract himself.

Dick mostly succeeded, managing to get his mind off of Jason for a couple of hours. He was distracted by the quiet echoes of familiar footsteps coming down the hall. Dick stopped himself from jumping up, but he set the book down and put his hands in his lap. He locked his unwavering gaze on Jason as he approached.

Jason did not meet his eyes, nor did he send the guards away like he usually did when he came inside.

“Aren’t you… staying?” Dick asked, not glancing at the tray of food Jason set down.

Jason turned his back to Dick before pausing. Then, he shook his head. “I’ll be back in an hour to collect the tray,” he said quietly.

Jason left again, and Dick watched him go. Dick felt slightly sick to the stomach. Jason was obviously trying to avoid him, but was too nice to actually do so.

Dinner was completely silent, and Dick did not have much of an appetite, despite it being the best food he had had in a couple of weeks. The only thing Dick managed to finish was the apple, which was in its peak of ripeness. He pushed around the other food a bit to make it look touched. Then, he tucked himself back into his book.

As Jason promised, he came an hour later to collect the tray. He said nothing about half of the food being left on the tray. He wordlessly picked it up and started towards the door again. For a moment, Dick thought Jason was going to ignore him completely.

“Dick,” Jason said at the cell door. “Is there… anything you need tonight?”

Dick looked up from his book, staring at Jason’s back. The corner of his lips twitched into a small smile. He bit his lower lip in case Jason turned around again. Honestly, Dick just wanted to spend some time with Jason, even though it looked like the other man was trying to avoid him.

He thumbed the page in the book that he had been reading.

“Would you read to me?” he asked, holding the book out.

Jason glanced over his shoulder, his eyes widening a fraction. Dick was sure Jason would refuse him. But Jason sighed softly and gave a tiny nod. “I’ll bring the tray to the kitchens and I’ll be back,” he said stiffly.

Dick nodded, and he awaited Jason’s return. The alpha kept his promise and came back ten minutes later. He waved the guards away and stepped into Dick’s cell. Dick had crawled under the covers, and he had set up a stool by the bed, the book resting upside down on it.

“…this one?” Jason asked, picking up the book and sitting down hesitantly.

Dick nodded. “Where I left off.”

Jason cleared his throat, and he started reading. “’He reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from running any further. Tears flowed from her sapphire blue eyes, dripping onto the dusty ground beneath their feet. _“What are you so afraid of?”_ she demanded. _“Your father? Ridicule from your friends?”_ She took a shuddering breath and pulled her wrist from his grip…’”

Jason flipped the page and his voice trailed off as his eyes scanned the page. Dick watched his expression carefully. Jason’s hands tightened around the book for a second. He let out a strained breath before reaching between the pages and plucking out the piece of paper that had been inserted between the pages.

Dick frowned slightly when Jason crumpled it and stuck it into his pocket. He closed his eyes and turned over so that his back was to Jason.

Jason started reading again, his voice shaking ever so slightly. “’She tried running again, but he caught her arm again. _“Please don’t leave,”_ he said. _“I… I am scared, you’re right. But you’re also right that I shouldn’t be. I don’t care anymore, my Elise. I don’t care what my father or my friends or anyone else says! I_ will _marry you!”_ Elise sniffled and shook her head. _“It’s too late, my prince. You had your chances. I’m being sent to the Faraway Kingdom tomorrow morning. This is good-bye.”_ She pushed him away one final time and disappeared in the crowd.’”

Jason paused for a long time. “It’s not that,” he said quietly. “You didn’t… offend me.”

It took Dick a second to realize that Jason was talking to him.

“It’s not that I didn’t want it,” he continued, his voice so soft Dick had to strain to hear him. “But you’re just confused. I… I’m not what you want.”

Dick had originally planned to feign sleep and listen to Jason, not wanting to scare him into silence again, but he could not help himself. He flipped around. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked.

Jason pressed his lips together tightly, refusing to elaborate. He just shook his head. “You were right. It was a mistake. It cannot happen again.”

“Jason-”

“It’s late, Your Majesty. I won’t disturb you any longer.” Jason stood up and put the book onto the table. He blew out the candles and opened the cell door. “Good night,” he said. He gave a short bow before leaving again.

“Jason…!” Dick called after him one more time. “Can’t we just go back to the way we were before?!”

Jason continued walking, making his way up the stairs and disappearing from the dungeons with a very final sounding slam of the dungeon doors.

* * *

The next day was terribly similar to the first. Jason came and went without saying anything to Dick, even avoiding eye contact.

He brought Dick meals and came to collect the trays an hour later. He never lingered or sent the guards away. He also ignored all of Dick’s attempts at conversation. It was making Dick a bit frustrated and just a bit pissed off.

He had already apologized for his actions, and though Jason seemed to have accepted it, Dick knew there was something still bothering Jason. Dick was not opposed to _talking_ about it, but apparently, Jason was.

And so, Dick fabricated a plan.

That night, Jason came to pick up the dinner tray. “Is there anything else you need?” he asked. It was the most words he had said to Dick all day.

Dick crossed his arms and stared hard at Jason. “My hair is getting too long,” he said carefully. “I’d like to get a haircut, if that’s possible.”

Jason’s eyes flicked to Dick’s hair. “A haircut?” he repeated.

Dick nodded.

“Okay,” Jason said. He left the dungeons, and for a while, Dick thought that Jason was not coming back.

But after a bit, Jason returned. He had taken off his coat and rolled his shirt up to his elbows. In his hand, he held a small wooden box and a couple of folded sheets. As he approached the cell, he nodded at the guards, dismissing them. Dick watched them go, letting out a silent sigh of relief.

He and Jason were finally alone.

Dick watched Jason move around the small cell, spreading a sheet onto the ground and placing a stool into the center of it. He sat on the stool when Jason gestured to it.

“You’re going to cut my hair?” Dick asked in mild surprise.

Jason opened the box and pulled out a comb. “Would you rather someone else?” he asked. “I can probably find someone-”

“No, I’d like you to do it,” Dick said lightly, wiggling slightly on the stool and sitting up straighter.

Jason started brushing through Dick’s hair gently, tugging lightly at the ends to get through the knots. His hand moved Dick’s head this way and that with almost tender touches.

“Have you cut hair before?” Dick asked, watching as Jason took out the scissors from the box.

“…No,” Jason said.

Dick swallowed back his wince. “Oh,” he said. “Okay then.”

Jason hesitated. “I…” He shook his head and took a thick lock of hair at the very top of Dick’s head.

Dick closed his eyes as the snipping started. If his hair turned out terribly, no one else would really see. He hoped it was not so bad that a bit of growing out won’t fix. And a bad haircut was worth some extra time with Jason.

“How is your leg?” Dick asked, blowing to remove the hairs that landed on his upper lip. He cracked open an eye to look at the several inches of hair on the ground by his feet.

“It’s fine,” Jason said curtly.

“Oh,” Dick said, disappointed at the short answer.

“…I took some medication last night,” Jason elaborated reluctantly. “It doesn’t hurt anymore. The doctor says I’m allowed back on a horse by the end of the week.”

Dick smiled. “That’s good,” he said. “Be more careful next time.”

Jason’s hands paused mid-snip. He did not answer.

So Dick changed the subject. “Is Red Hood still looking to wage war on the Darkland bandits?” he asked.

Jason resumed his cutting. “Yes,” he said. “He’s gathering an army and training them right now.”

Dick bit his lower lip. “Any news from my kingdom?” he asked softly.

Jason’s hands paused again, this time resting on top of Dick’s head. “No,” he answered. “Your regent is trying to bide his time.”

“Makes sense,” Dick said. “Tim has a lot to deal with right now between running a kingdom, finding down a missing monarch, and a declaration of war hanging over his head. I feel bad that he has to deal with all this.”

“We all have a lot to deal with right now,” Jason murmured.

“Yeah,” Dick said with a sigh.

Jason started running the comb through Dick’s hair again, alternating between the scissors and the comb to “fix” certain areas.

“Hey, Jason?”

“…Yes?”

Dick held his breath. “Are you still upset about the kiss?”

Jason inhaled slowly. “No,” he said.

“Then why are you avoiding me?”

“It’s for the best,” Jason said tightly.

Dick almost turned around to look at him if not for the sharp scissors currently hovering by his ear. “For whom?” he asked.

“Both of us,” Jason said firmly.

Dick nearly sputtered. “ _What?_ I don’t see how I’m benefitting from being isolated by the only person who gives a fuck about my wellbeing.”

“I’m not isolating you,” Jason mumbled, sounding almost indignant.

“You’re ignoring me,” Dick accused. “I’m feeling isolated.”

Jason sighed. “My apologies,” he said. “That wasn’t my intention.”

“Then what was your intention?”

Jason hesitated, not responding for a long time. Then, with some difficulty, he said, “I thought it would be best if I don’t encourage your… feelings, and vice versa.”

Dick practically exploded. “Well, you could’ve just _said_ you weren’t interested, and I would back off! Unlike that half-brother of yours, I _can_ control myself, you know. Yes, the kiss was a lapse in judgement, and I admit I should not have done that, but you don’t have to _avoid_ me! Not to mention-” Dick cut himself off, blinking rapidly as he played back what Jason had just said.

This time, he did spin around, scissors or no scissors.

“Wait, vice versa? Does that mean you-?”

Jason turned his back to him, putting away the scissors and comb.

“Hey, talk to me,” Dick demanded. “Jason, do you actually like me back?”

“We shouldn’t do this,” Jason said.

“Do what, talk? I just want some answers, Jason. Did I mishear you?”

Jason’s figure stiffened. “…No,” he grunted finally.

“Oh my god,” Dick whispered. “That’s why you thought the kiss was your fault. Why didn’t you say something last night when I apologized for acting on my feelings?!”

Jason shut the box loudly. “Because we can’t do this,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m not what you want.”

Dick snorted. “I’d say you’re a hell of a lot better than what I have right now.”

Jason turned around. Dick was a bit surprised at how furious Jason looked. “You don’t understand,” Jason said in a low growl that was unfairly sexy. “I am _not_ what you want. You’ll only end up regretting it for the rest of your life.”

Dick was absolutely baffled. “What? How can being with you be any worse than being tied to _Red Hood_. Jason, you’re the complete opposite of that bastard! If you were my alpha-”

“Stop it!” Jason snapped.

Dick’s mouth shut with an audible click. A shiver ran down his spine.

“Please stop,” Jason said a bit quieter. His hands were clenched at his sides, and he refused to look at Dick. He took a deep breath to steady himself. His hands slowly unclenched. “There are a lot of things you don’t understand about me,” Jason said, his voice rasping slightly. “Don’t think you know me, Your Majesty.”

Jason picked up the box, gave Dick a small bow, and then left the cells at a swift pace.

* * *

Every time Dick believed he surely overstepped and Jason would never return, Jason proved him wrong by coming back.

Dick was honestly shocked when Jason showed up to bring him dinner. He did look extremely tired though. Dick wanted to ask, but he did not want to push Jason too far again.

“Do you… need anything else, Your Majesty?” Jason asked, his voice hoarse.

Dick bit his lower lip, trying to find something to request of Jason. It was already pretty late since Jason brought him dinner rather late in the first place. Jason probably wanted to go back and rest earlier, but Dick really just wanted to see him for a bit more than the minute or two that it took Jason to bring and take away the tray.

“My skin is getting really dry,” he said. “Could I have a bath? Or a shower with hot water?” It was complete bullshit since Dick’s skin was far from dry, and even it was, it had nothing to do with the cold showers he had been allowed.

Jason was silent for a few seconds. “I’ll see what I can do,” he said.

Dick waited for nearly half an hour before Jason came back. Dick had nearly fallen asleep. Jason held the door open.

“Come on,” he said.

Dick blinked at him, clearing the sleep from his eyes. There were no guards standing at the door, only Jason. This could be his chance to escape. Dick stood and took a few steps towards the door, all the while looking to see if he was mistaken.

Jason closed the cell door behind them, but instead of taking a right down the hall to the windowless room that served as Dick’s bathroom, Jason led him down the main hall, towards the stairs leading up and out of the dungeons.

Dick followed, looking right and left to see if there were guards secretly following them. He saw no one. They exited the dungeons and walked through the silent hallways of the palace. Dick’s feet barely made a sound on the soft carpets.

Technically, he really could run right now. Make a break for it. There was a chance Jason would catch him, but this was the greatest chance Dick had gotten in a while.

“This way,” Jason said, breaking Dick out of his thoughts. Jason had pulled back a tapestry to reveal and hidden door. He unlocked it and held it open for Dick.

Dick was torn between making a run for it and finding out where Jason was leading him. In the end, the promise of a hot bath won out. Dick could always make an escape after his bath.

He entered the secret pathway and Jason closed the door behind him. They were plunged into pitch darkness.

Dick was about to speak up when Jason grabbed his wrist. “Follow me closely,” he said. Dick could only hurry behind Jason, holding his other hand out to run along the wall so he would not smack into it.

They took a few twists and turns, went up a flight of stairs with some difficulty on Dick’s part, before finally exiting into a room.

Dick stepped through, glad to finally see light again. His eyes widened at the lavishness of the room. It was richly decorated with deep reds and bright golds. It was obviously a bedroom, likely one of the nicer ones in the palace.

“Whose room is this?” he asked, looking around.

“No one’s,” Jason said. “It’s an unused room reserved for guests. No one will look for you here,” he said with certainty in his voice. “I’ve drawn a bath.” He walked swiftly towards the bathroom.

Dick stared at Jason’s back, his eyebrows raising slightly. This was not an unused guest bedroom. The room looked lived in, with trinkets lining the mantle above the fireplace. A few swords hung on the opposite wall, and a large portrait of the late Queen Catherine hung above them.

Dick could also see that the dresser doors were slightly ajar, and there were definitely clothes hanging inside.

Still, Dick decided to say nothing and followed Jason into the bathroom. Indeed there was a bath drawn, the water steaming and rose petals floated in the water.

Jason’s coat was thrown over a chair in the corner, and he was in the process of rolling his sleeves up.

Dick instinctively quirked a flirty smile. “I didn’t know you were joining me,” he said.

Jason froze, his head whipping over to look at Dick. “I wasn’t-” He looked a bit horrified.

“I’m joking, Jason,” Dick laughed. “Don’t take it so-” The bathroom door slammed shut and Dick was alone. “…seriously.” He sighed heavily. “Nice one, Dickie,” he muttered to himself.

He stripped himself of his clothes, tossing them into the corner. Then, he paused and looked at himself in the mirror.

He had grown way paler in the month he had been locked up in the dungeons of the Crimson palace. But Red Hood’s mating mark was still as obvious as ever, if not more so now.

Dick also laughed softly at his terrible haircut. The hair was choppy and uneven, even though Jason spent a long time trying to making it even. A few pieces were so short they stuck straight up while others flopped over to the tips of his ears. Strangely, Dick did not mind it so much.

He made his way over to the tub and eased himself into the heavenly water. He sighed loudly as he settled into the heat. It was so comfortable that Dick nearly fell asleep again.

His fingers and toes were terribly wrinkled by the end of his bath, and the water was starting to cool. Dick stepped out reluctantly, silently saying good-bye to the refreshing bath, not knowing when he would get another chance to feel so clean and smell so nice. Dick toweled himself off and then looked around for new clothes to wear.

There was nothing provided. Dick did not particularly want to wear his old clothes again, having worn them for a week already. His eyes landed on Jason’s coat, which had been abandoned in Jason’s hurry.

He grabbed the heavy coat and held it up to his face. It smelled really good, making Dick weaker at the knees than he would like to admit. A smile crept onto Dick’s face, and before he gave it another thought, Dick had drawn the large coat over his naked body.

Then, he walked out of the bathroom. Jason was pacing the length of the bedroom, muttering quietly to himself, his eyebrows drawn together.

“Jason?” Dick called.

Jason looked up. He swallowed hard when he saw Dick wearing nothing but his coat.

“Do you have anything I can wear?” Dick asked with a smile. “Not that your coat isn’t nice, but I thought you’d probably want this back.”

Jason swallowed again. “Right,” he said, clearing his throat and quickly looking away. “I’ll go get you something to wear.”

Jason hurried to the dresser and threw it open, digging through the different fancy outfits. Dick watched with growing amusement. Jason pulled out one of the drawers and grabbed a perfectly ironed white shirt that was a few sizes too big for Dick. He searched a few more drawers for pants, but came up empty-handed.

He handed Dick the shirt, red-faced. “I’ll go see if I can find something that’ll fit you,” he muttered. “Wear this for now.”

“Alright,” Dick said, taking the shirt. He headed back to the bathroom, laughing to himself at how flustered Jason was. Now that they had both admitted how they felt about the other, Dick found that Jason was actually pretty obvious about his feelings, though more so now that he knew Dick was also aware of them.

Dick unbuttoned the coat, about to pull it off. His foot stepped into a puddle of water, and he lost his balance. “Wah!” Dick cried out before landing hard on his side. His head slammed into the side of the sink, and pain vibrated through his head.

His vision went blurry for a few seconds before he regained focus, Jason’s face hovering over him.

“Dickie?! Are you okay? Where does it hurt?”

Dick only managed a weak groan, his head still throbbing. Everything kind of hurt.

“Hold on,” Jason said. A second later, Dick felt himself being lifted into the air. He instinctively moved his arms around Jason’s neck, pushing his face into Jason’s shoulder.

The ride was too short. A few moments later, Jason was setting him down on the bed in the bedroom.

“Just lie here for a bit,” Jason said. “I’m going to go find a doctor-”

“No,” Dick groaned, hanging onto Jason’s shirt as he started to leave.

“You hit your head pretty hard,” Jason said. “You should-”

Dick waved his hand impatiently. “I’m fine,” he said. “It’ll pass. I’ve landed on my head enough times falling out of trees. I just need to rest for a bit.”

Jason was silent for a few beats. “Then I’ll let you sleep,” he said. He started to go again.

Spurred by a burst of pained confidence, Dick held on tighter. “Don’t go,” he said. “Stay here.”

Jason inhaled sharply, understanding what Dick was trying to say. “We can’t,” he said.

Dick blinked tiredly. “At least until I fall asleep. Please?”

Jason thought about it for a long time. Finally, he gave in a lowered himself onto the edge of the bed. “Until you fall asleep,” he relented in a pained voice.

Dick smiled, finally releasing Jason’s shirt. He let his tired eyes slide shut. Just as sleep was about to overtake him, Dick felt a warm hand encompass his own, and that night, Dick dreamt of holding Jason’s hand and swimming through a sea of rose petals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And from here on out, things will start unraveling pretty quickly since most of the world building has been set. The next few chapters will be quite the ride, but...
> 
> Apologies about the sudden hiatus after only monthly updates, hope you can understand, and thank you all for reading.


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